Future Dragon: Rose Long Season Four
by Fudogg
Summary: Season 4 of 10. The plot against Rose to get her blood comes to a head.
1. Chapter 1

Future Dragon: Rose Long (Season Four)

**A/N: I don't own American Dragon or any of the characters.**

Chapter/Episode 1: Helping Claws

Even though it was pitch black outside and no one else was out, Savannah and Cherri were both walking along the grass in their dragon forms. "She wanted to stay and see her husband and sister again." Cherri told Savannah, turning her head to the side as they walked.

"I thought Rose knew that that wouldn't be possible..." Savannah shook her head. "...It would have only caused problems for this team."

"That's what I told her." Cherri said. "But she's still upset..." As she said this, she stopped walking, and Savannah took another step before she turned around to face her.

"She'll see them again..." Savannah said softly. "...As soon as we find whoever killed her parents, she'll go back to her old life. It's that simple."

LINE BREAK

The next morning, all of the members of the team sat at the table in the dining hall in their human forms with their medallions around their necks. However, Cherri turned her head to the side when she heard footprints.

Savannah stepped into the dining hall, also in her human form and also wearing her medallion. Although she looked tired, Savannah looked at the table, sighing as she saw that Lono's chair was empty. "Still no Lono?" She asked as put her hands on her hips.

"No." Cherri answered.

"Look who else is missing..." Lista pointed out and Savannah looked over to where Rose was supposed to be sitting, only to find it vacant.

"Oh boy..." Savannah muttered.

LINE BREAK

In the kitchen, a male mermaid turned on the water, which fell down onto a stack of plates. As the mermaid picked one up and began to scrub it with his hands, the still human Savannah, who was standing behind his shoulder, smiled as she put her hand on his shoulder. "Thanks..." She told him sincerely before she took her hand off and turned to the side to look at Cherri, who was leaning against the wall.

"...She never showed up..." Savannah said with disappointment.

"She seemed upset last night, but..." Cherri started.

"But what?"

"...But if she didn't even leave her room to come have breakfast..." Cherri finished. "...It could be worse than it looked."

"She'll be fine..." Savannah said, but it came out softly, a tone of worry.

Cherri looked like she was about to say something. However, just as she opened her mouth, she closed it again as she heard footsteps; Cherri turned her head just in time to see Joel enter the room in his human form.

"Something wrong, Joel?" Savannah crossed her arms.

"I was just wondering if you knew why Rose never showed up for breakfast..." Joel said.

"We have a good idea..." Cherri said as she returned her head back to normal.

"What's wrong with her?" Joel asked, turning to the side to look at Cherri, who also turned to the side.

"She's not in a great mood right now..." Cherri beat around the bush, crossing her arms.

"Maybe someone should go talk to her." Joel said, a small smile crossing his face as he slowly started to turn around, walking toward the exit.

"And you think you're going to do it?" Joel stopped as he heard the sound of Cherri's voice and he quickly turned his head to the side as Cherri stepped beside him. "I'll do it..." Cherri said, taking her hand off of his shoulder.

LINE BREAK

"Rose?" standing in front of Rose's closed door, Cherri brought up her hand and pounded on the door three times. "Rose?" She shouted again as she pounded. Then, as she lowered her hand and took a step back, Cherri sighed as she stared at the still closed door.

"Tail of the dragon..." Cherri said softly. In a bright light, her Verdigris-colored tail appeared and moved over to the door.

LINE BREAK

The door to the room opened and Cherri stepped into the dark room, her tail disappearing in a bright light. Looking around the room, Cherri found Rose lying on her side on her bed. "Rose..." Cherri said, starting to walk over to her friend.

As soon as Cherri reached the bed, she knelt down, sitting on her knees as she stared at Rose, finding that the blonde woman was awake, and even though she blinked and stared right at Cherri, Rose acted as if she wasn't there.

"Rose?"

Simply blinking, Rose continued to ignore Cherri. "Rose." Cherri said, bringing her hand over to Rose's face and snapping her fingers. "Talk to me..." Cherri ordered gently as she pulled her hand away from Rose's face.

Blinking again, Rose finally opened her mouth: "Go away..." She croaked.

Her eyes wide, Cherri could only stare at the unmoving woman on her side. Finally, Cherri sighed as she got to her feet. "Okay, Rose..." Cherri said as she turned around. "...I understand." As she started to walk toward the door to the room, she added: "You need time to yourself..."

LINE BREAK

In the dining hall, Savannah and Joel were sitting on the opposite sides of the table, still in their human forms. Hearing the door creak, both Joel and Savannah turned their heads to the side to see Cherri slowly stepping in.

"Well?" Savannah asked, concern in her tone.

"I forced myself into her room..." Cherri reported as she slowly walked over to the end of the table.

Savannah waited until Cherri stopped right at the side of the table before she asked: "And?"

"She's depressed." Cherri sighed, hugging herself. "At first I thought that she wasn't even aware that I was in there. It was kind of like she was looking right through me. But then..." She continued as she lowered her hands to her sides. "...She told me to leave."

"She told you to leave?" Savannah raised an eyebrow.

"She misses the two members of her family that she has left, Savannah..." Cherri turned her head ever-so-slightly to the side to make eye contact with her best friend as she held her arms out and leaned over against the side of the table. "...You should see her. It's...pathetic...and sad."

Taking a deep breath, Savannah took in what her friend said. However, before she could say anything, Joel turned his head to the side. "I could try to talk to her..." He said eagerly, only to turn his head back to normal as he heard the table creaking, Savannah standing up and stepping over the bench.

"Maybe I will, Cherri..." She told her friend.

LINE BREAK

Pushing Rose's door open with a loud creak, Savannah stepped into the room with a black blindfold dangling from her hand. She immediately saw Rose lying on her side.

"Oh boy..." Savannah groaned. "...She wasn't kidding..."

Walking over to the bed that Rose was lying on, Savannah knelt down as soon as she reached the side of the side of the bed, staring at Rose's face as the older woman just blinked, almost as if she wasn't even aware that Savannah was in the room, just like Cherri had said.

"Rose..."

"Go away..." Rose suddenly grumbled. "...I want to be alone..."

"Obviously..." Savannah cracked a smile. "...But it's not good for you, Rose." She added as her smile faded. When Rose just blinked, saying nothing, Savannah took a deep breath as she opened her mouth again: "Rose, I don't want to do this, but now that you are a member of this team, I am your superior. Don't make me order you out of bed..."

Still, Rose said nothing. She just sighed sadly as she continued to stare at Savannah, not sitting up.

Exhaling sharply, Savannah slowly rose back up into a standing position as she held up her hand with the blindfold. "Rose." Her tone was much sharper, showing that she wasn't in a mood for nonsense. "I promise you that you will see your sister and husband and son again. Now is not the time, though."

"When?" Rose blinked, just listening as she didn't even bother turning her head up.

"Once we find and capture the one or ones that took your parents' lives." Savannah told her. "But until then, you're going to need to cheer up."

"Oh, I'm sorry..." Rose nonchalantly replied, rolling her eyes as she still refused to depart from her pillow. "...Did you ever have to part with your family?"

Looking down at Rose, Savannah's eyes quickly narrowed. "Shut up, Rose." She growled. "I'm not asking you. I'm telling you. Get out of this bed..."

LINE BREAK

"Joel, you really should let Savannah handle this..." Cherri said as she quickly walked after Joel, who was nearing Rose's room, a determined look on his face. "...Savannah won't be happy..."

Still, Joel ignored and continued walking. However, as the door to Rose's room opened, Joel abruptly stopped and his eyes widened as Rose, with a blindfold and with her hands pulled behind her back, shouted as she was escorted out by Savannah, who was in her dragon for and who was holding Rose's hands behind her back.

"Let go of me!" Rose demanded loudly as she pulled against Savannah's grip against her as Savannah walked Rose over to Joel and Cherri, who reached Joel's side, a look of shock on her face that matched Joel's.

"Let go of ME!" Rose shouted again. "And get this blindfold off of my face!"

"Stop struggling..." Savannah looked down at the older woman. "...And stop yelling...and come quietly. Then..." She looked back up at Joel and Cherri. "...I'll let go of your hands..."

"Savannah, what are you doing?" Cherri asked.

"I'm going to cheer Rose up." Savannah smiled as she brought her hands up to her shoulders, allowing Rose to return her arms to the side.

"And how do you plan to do that?" Joel asked.

Savannah's smile only widened as she lowered her clawed hands. "Why should I tell you when Rose is right beside me? That'd only ruin the surprise for her..."

BLACKOUT; COMMERCIAL

BACK TO THE STORY/SHOW

"Okay, Rose..." Even though she could hear the sound of Savannah's voice, Rose was still in darkness as the blindfold was still over her eyes. "...We're here."

"Where is here?" Rose retorted in an annoyed tone.

"You're about to find out..." Came Savannah's reply. Within seconds, Rose could feel the blindfold slipping away from her face and she found herself blinded by sun light. As soon as her eyes adjusted to the light, Rose found that she was standing in front of a restaurant.

Her eyes widening with shock, Rose turned her head to the side to see the now human Savannah standing beside her, smiling as she put her hand on her shoulder. "You kicked me out of bed so you could take me to get food?"

"Is that wrong?" Savannah asked, briefly turning her head to the side before she turned her head back to normal, only to have her face light up. "Ooh! It's Happy Hour!"

"What?" Rose asked, turning her head back to normal, just in time to see a female employee putting up a sign: _**Happy Hour: 9AM-11 AM**_.

"I don't drink..." Rose pouted as Savannah took a step toward the restaurant. Hearing Rose say this, Savannah turned around and smiled at her. "...Really." Rose told her. "I've had maybe one alcoholic drink in my entire life."

"Who says you have to drink, Rose?" Savannah told her.

"You...seem happy that it's Happy Hour..." Rose replied slowly, not knowing what the other dragon meant.

"Yes, Rose." Savannah replied. "It's Happy Hour. That means you should be happy."

LINE BREAK

Sitting across from Savannah at the table, Rose pouted as she watched Savannah bury her face into her menu. "So, what do you want, Rose?" Savannah asked as she lowered her menu, revealing her perky expression to Rose.

"I'm not hungry." Rose crossed her arms, just as a female employee with black hair that was in a pony-tail stepped up to their table, holding a notepad.

"Can I take your order?" She asked.

LINE BREAK

Rose's arms stayed crossed as she watched as Savannah set down the fork she had been using down onto the empty plate in front of her. However, as Savannah looked up at Rose, her satisfied expression changed into one of disappointment.

"Rose..."

"Can we go now?" Rose cut her off.

"Rose, you need to cheer up." Savannah put her hands on the side of the table. "You should have known that you were going to have to keep away from them. If they found out-"

"Well, at least I care about the people I love." Rose said.

"What do you mean?" Savannah asked.

"Angela..." Rose cocked her head to the side as she held up her arms.

"Are you...?" Savannah started, a confused look taking hold of her face. "...Trying to say that I don't care that one of my friends just died? Is that what you're trying to say?"

"Pretty much..." Rose nodded.

"Well, I do..." Savannah said, narrowing her eyes. "...And I don't know what's gotten into you today, Rose." Sighing, Savannah just stared at Rose for a few seconds before she shook her head twice. "Yes, Rose." She then said as she started to rise from her seat. "We can go now..."

LINE BREAK

In his room, Coen was in his human form with his medallion around his neck, lying on his back on his bed, his arms folded behind his head. However, he jumped up into a sitting position as the he heard a thud, the door to his room swinging open as a dragon Joel, his medallion around his neck, storming into the room, a look of anger on his face.

"Frustrating!" Joel exclaimed as he turned to the side, starting to walk over to his accomplice. "No matter what I do, I just can't get alone time with Rose."

"Unfortunate..." Coen managed.

It took Joel a second to react, but when he did, he clenched his clawed hands into fists and his eye twitched in annoyance. "It's really a shame that you're not taking this seriously, Coen!" He growled. "That device doesn't just restrict your ability to speak."

"I know..." Coen said as he stood off of his bed and turned to the side.

"You are at my mercy..." Joel said in a much calmer tone as he slowly took steps toward his accomplice. Stepping right in front of him, Joel looked down. "...I can kill you..."

"You need me..." Coen managed as he looked up.

"I do need you..." A mischievous smile crossed Joel's face. "...You're right. So..." Looking up, the Peridot-colored dragon turned around and put his scaly arms behind his back. "...I'm having difficulty getting to Rose. According to Cherri, she's depressed."

"Depressed?" Coen managed, looking up.

"Something about..." Joel started. "...About...About...I actually don't care." He then turned back around just as he reverted to his human form. Coen watched, raising an eyebrow as Joel pulled something out of his pocket, holding it up to be a detonation device. "All I care about is that you can help me out..." He smiled as he stared at Coen's now wide eyes. "Can you do that?"

"Just spend ti-" Coen started, but he stopped, straining to speak.

"Something wrong?" Joel smiled as he watched Coen put his hand up to his neck. His eyes quickly narrowing, Coen lowered his hand and turned to the side, walking over to his desk. "I bet you want me to let you free of that thing, huh?" Joel said smugly as he turned to the side, watching as Coen sat down at his desk.

Smiling, Joel started to walk over to the desk, reaching it just as Coen set down his pen and turned to the side in his chair with the paper in his hand, holding it up for Joel to read as he turned his head to the side.

"Spend time with her?" Joel raised an eyebrow as he read. "Coen, you're not-"

"I am..." Coen told him.

"No, you don't understand..." Joel said firmly said, clenching his fists as he turned to the side. "...She wants to be alone. I can't get to her."

Rolling his eyes, Coen opened his mouth again: "You can..."

"How?" Joel put his hands on his hips.

"Console her..."

BLACKOUT; COMMERCIAL

BACK TO THE STORY/SHOW

The doors to the elevator opened and Savannah and Rose both stepped out onto the grass in their dragon forms. With the doors sliding shut, both reverted to their human forms in a bright light. As soon as the lights faded, Savannah turned her head to the side, only to see that Rose was already walking off. Sighing, Savannah turned her head back to normal.

LINE BREAK

Stepping into the dining hall, Savannah was surprised to see a human Cherri sitting down at the table, looking down at the surface. "What are you doing here?" Savannah asked, taking another step inside, making Cherri look up and turn her head to the side.

"Just...thinking..." She answered. "...You're back already?"

"Rose is in a vindictive mood today..." Savannah shrugged as she walked over to the other side of the table.

Cherri turned her head back normal and waited until Savannah sat down before she opened her mouth: "What do you mean? How so?"

"She's just giving me grief..."

"She's depressed and she wants to be left alone." Cherri told her friend. "Just give her a day or two or three to just bounce back. Trust me. It'll happen."

"Yeah..." Savannah responded as she clasped her fingers together. "...But she said something that got me thinking..."

"What?"

"She said that I don't care and that's why I want her to cheer up." Savannah replied. "If I cared, I would know how she feels. She even brought up Angela, seeing as we haven't really done anything in her memory..."

"But you know that to be false..." Cherri said, slowly starting to move her right hand toward Savannah's clasped ones. "...You miss Angela. I miss Angela. We all do. What could we do for her, though? She's dead."

"I know and I do care about her." Savannah said as she pulled her clasped hands away, dropping them off of the tabletop and into her lap. "But Rose's parents..."

"You care about bringing that monster to justice..." Cherri assured her, pulling her hand back.

"I do." Savannah confirmed. "But-"

"As long as you care..." Cherri said, holding up her index finger, balancing her elbow against the tabletop. "...That's all that matters."

LINE BREAK

As Rose neared her room, she was surprised to see that Joel, in his human form, was leaning against the wall next to the door to the room, his arms crossed. "What are you doing here?" Rose asked as she stopped in front of Joel.

"Waiting for you." Joel said, putting a friendly smile on his face.

"Why?" Rose asked slowly as she took a step back.

"Cherri said that you were depressed..." Joel said, still smiling as he lowered his arms to the side and stepped away from the wall, taking a step closer to Rose, who only took another step back as she put an unnerved look on her face.

"Look, Savannah already tried to make me feel better..." Rose held up her hands, warning Joel to stop, which he did, allowing Rose to lower her hands and put them on her hips. "...It didn't work..."

"Well, maybe I can try." Joel shrugged his shoulders.

"I just want to be left alone for the day..." Rose said softly as she dropped her hands. "...Is that too much to ask for?"

"Of course not." Joel told her, turning his head to the side as Rose walked passed him. He then turned around as he watched Rose reach her door. "But we are a team, Rose." Joel said as he took a step toward Rose. "I think you may have noticed by now that we try to help each other out. We're almost like a family. We have a deep loyalty to one another..."

He thought he could hear Rose sigh as she opened the door to her room, and as Rose stepped inside, Joel smiled as he started to follow Rose into the room and as soon as he stepped inside, he could see Rose sitting down on her bed.

"Come on..." Joel continued, continuing to walk over to the bed. "...Let me help you out..."

"You can't help me." Rose told him, turning herself to the side, putting her feet up on the bed. She then lied down onto her back, her knees still bent.

"Sure I can..." Joel said softly as he stopped right at the side of the bed, Rose turning her head to the side.

"How?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You just need to find a way to let out some of your pain..." Joel said as he put his hands on his hips. "...Instead of just lying on your bed and feeling sorry for yourself. If you trust me, I can help you out..."

"How?" Rose asked, raising her eyebrow again.

"I can..." Joel shrugged as he took a step back. "...Help you out. I can..." A smile crossed his face. "...Give you some ideas for things to do today that will...keep your mind off of what saddens you..."

"Like what?" Rose asked, annoyance in her tone as she slowly sat up, her head still turned to the side.

"Well, first..." Joel clasped his hands together. "...What would make you feel better?"

"Seeing Jake and Daisy again..."

"Well, that's not really possible." Joel continued, lowering her hands, putting them back to his side as he pulled them apart. "What would be the next best thing for you?"

"Some help you are..." Rose rolled her eyes. "...You do know that I already know what would make me feel better."

"But you're not doing it!" Joel told her. "Are you feeling better by just lying here! You need to take action, Rose. Do something to help yourself! Contact them!"

"That's what I've tried to do twice already." Rose told him as she turned back to the side, putting her feet on the floor, pushing herself up onto her feet as she stood. "But I never got an answer. Maybe..." She put her hand to her chin in thought. "...Maybe I could now..."

"Now there's an idea..." Joel smiled.

"You have a communication device?" Rose asked as she lowered her hand.

"No." Joel shook his head once. "I don't. But I do...have a better idea..." He smiled.

LINE BREAK

"I'm back..." Joel said after he opened the door to Coen's room, stepping inside. Coen was still sitting in his chair, so when he heard the door opening, followed by the sound of Joel's voice, he turned around in his chair.

"...And I just might finally have a way to get Rose's blood..." Joel said as he continued to walk toward his accomplice.

"Good..."

"Yes." Joel said as he topped in front of Coen. "But..."

"But what?" Coen managed.

"...There's something I'm going to need from you..." Joel smiled as he crossed his arms.

LINE BREAK

Rose was sitting on the side of her bed with her head lowered, looking down at her lap. However, as the door creaked, Rose snapped her head up and watched as Joel walked into the room, holding a piece of paper in both of his hands.

"What's that?" Rose asked.

"We're improvising..." Joel said as he reached Rose's bed. "...Since I don't have a communication device, you can write them a letter." After he said this, he extended his arms out to Rose so she could take the paper.

Slowly, Rose reached out and took the piece of paper. "Okay..." She said. "...But do you have a pen?"

LINE BREAK

With his back against the wall, Joel watched with a smile on his face as he held the envelope in his hand, watching Rose sit up from her bed, folding the piece of paper that she had written her letter on. "Here..." Joel said as he held out his arm, walking toward Rose and away from the wall.

"Thanks..." Rose said, walking toward Joel. The two met and Rose held out her palm. Smiling at Rose, Joel lowered the envelope at an angle so that when the envelope reached Rose's hand, the blonde woman hissed in pain, pulling her hand away, looking down at her hand, seeing a cut with some blood on the index finger of her hand.

"Ow..."

"So sorry, Rose..." Joel said with fake concern. "...Here..." He held up his other hand. "...Let me help you..."

"No, no..." Rose shook her head as she brought up her bloody finger to her mouth. "...I've got it..."

Joel then watched, his eyes widening with disbelief as Rose put her finger in her mouth and sucked on it. Then, after three seconds, she pulled her finger out of her mouth. "See?" She gave him a small smile. "I got it. No harm done..."

Then, Rose held out her palm again. "Envelope?" She asked.

LINE BREAK

In her dragon form, Rose wore her unbuttoned cloak as she held the envelope in both of her clawed hands. She was nearing the elevator when she froze, hearing the sound of Cherri's voice: "Rose!"

Turning around, Rose could see Cherri, in her human form, running toward her. "Where are you going?" Cherri asked just as she stopped in front of her.

"I'm going to go deliver this to my sister and maybe even my husband..." Rose said, holding up the letter ever-so-slightly.

"What does it say?" Cherri asked.

"It just says that they shouldn't worry about me..." Rose said. "...And that I'm alive and perfectly safe. That...That I'm feeling better than ever."

Cherri just stared at Rose for a few seconds and in that time, Rose's eyes slowly started to widen in fear. Finally, Cherri gave a small smile. "I trust you, Rose." She said. "Just don't get seen..."

"That's why I'm wearing this..." Rose said.

Still smiling and giving a nod, Cherri slowly started to turn around and then she started to walk away, only stopping when she heard the sound of Rose's voice: "Cherri?"

"Yeah?" Cherri asked, turning around.

"Thanks for understanding..." Rose smiled at her. "...Savannah was cool with me contacting them, but...this feels different. This feels...a little therapeutic..."

LINE BREAK

The door to Coen's room slammed open as a growling Joel stormed into the room, finding Coen sitting in his chair, facing him with his arms crossed. "No blood?" He asked.

"No..." Joel said as he used his foot to close the door. "...She even got a paper cut. She just sucked up the blood..." Sighing, he started to walk over to his accomplice. "...You got any other ideas?"

"Me?" Coen asked, pointing to himself in surprise.

"Yes, I'm asking you..." Joel said, crossing his arms as he reached his sitting accomplice.

"Why?" Coen asked. Then, after another ten seconds, he spoke again: "This is you..."

"Because you're the smart one..." Joel told him.

"You're smart..." Coen crossed his arms.

"Not as smart as you..." Joel lowered his arms to his sides.

"You..." Coen started, but he froze and as Joel smiled, Coen sighed as he spun around in his chair and hunched over. Waiting, Joel's smile vanished and crossed his arms again. After waiting for forty-five seconds, Coen finally spun back around and held up a piece of paper, Joel looking at it:

"You were able to create the device that binds me to you..." Joel read, a smile breaking out onto his face as he lowered his arms, shaking his head back and forth. "...Coen, please. I'm not that intelligent. I got it at a black magic shop..."

"Wh...?" Coen managed, his eyes widening as he lowered the piece of paper.

"I got it at a black magic shop." Joel repeated, giving a nod of confirmation as he grinned. "I find that you are the only dragon that I know who can actually create devices. That's why I'm glad that you are the one who...got into this mess..."

As he said this, he looked down as he held up the hand that had his black Chinese dragon mark. "...I make good use of your brains..." Joel continued as he looked up, lowering his hand again. "...Because to be honest, my plans aren't as well thought out as yours. I'm running out of ideas. I need more. Coen, the sooner we get her blood, the sooner you can get that hunk of metal out of your mouth. You'll be free of me and you'll be free of the danger of me killing you. So, ideas?"

LINE BREAK

Flapping her wings, the cloaked and hooded Rose neared the house that she shared with her sister.

Finally, Rose reached the sidewalk and lowered onto it. Reaching into her cloak, Rose pulled out the envelope. Then, she started to walk up the steps and once she reached the front porch, she just stood there, looking at the front door.

"Hope you aren't too worried about me..." Rose said as she lowered her head. "...I'll be home soon..."

Then, she sighed as she leaned over and set down the envelope right in front of the door.

Quickly, Rose then stood straight back up. Without a second thought, she then turned back around and spread her wings. Starting to flap them, taking off into the air, leaving the envelope and her letter behind.

BLACKOUT; END EPISODE

**A/n: So, there it is. The season opener. What did you think? Why don't you tell me with a review. I hope you liked it. **

**It's a little short, but oh well. **


	2. Chapter 2

Future Dragon: Rose Long (Season Four)

Chapter/Episode 2: New Devil

"So, plans?" Joel repeated, looking into the wide eyes of Coen. "Take your time..." Joel smiled, taking a step back as Coen just blinked. Then, Joel's accomplice sighed as he turned around in his chair, hunching over his desk.

"...Oh, and by the way, Coen..." Joel added. "...Make sure these plans are good..."

LINE BREAK

Looking down at the River Styx, Mrs. Jenkins frowned. Looking up, the ruler of the Underworld turned around and started to walk away from the ledge, walking toward three of her hunched over minions. "I'm getting impatient..." She said as she walked. "...It's been about a week since our visitors escaped."

As she stopped in front of her minions, she continued, putting her hands on her hips. "I know that when she finds out who is responsible for the death of her parents, she won't be able to resist destroying him."

"That's why I wasn't bothered by her and her friend getting away..." Mrs. Jenkins turned back around. "...Because her soul would still come to me..." As she said this, she clenched her fists and brought them up to her chest. "...But now..." She lowered her fists as she said this. "...I get the feeling that she isn't even looking. She's doing something else."

Turning back around to see that the three minions had their heads lifted up so they could see her, Mrs. Jenkins continued: "Rose Long's soul is mine. I know these kinds of things. But to get early dibs on it..." A smile appeared on her face. "...Maybe I could...find a way to...bring her closer to me..." A smile broke out onto her face.

LINE BREAK

"Here..." Coen managed as he turned around in his chair, holding out of piece of paper to Joel, who was still standing in front of him. Slowly, Joel reached out and took the piece of paper. "...It's a list..." Coen managed again.

"I can see that..." Joel said as he held the piece of paper in both of his hands, his head down. "...Of ways to get Rose's blood..."

Nodding, Coen crossed his arms as he watched Joel read the piece of paper.

"Number one..." Joel read out loud. "...Spar with her..."

"Easiest way..." Coen said.

"...Number two..." Joel said without looking up from the piece of paper. "...Massage her." This made him look up at Coen, raising an eyebrow. "I already tried that. It didn't work. And I don't want to appear creepy."

"Try it again..." Coen managed. He then spun around in his chair again and grabbed a new piece of paper, taking his pen and starting to write something on it. Blinking in surprise, Joel watched as Coen spun back around and held up the paper.

"If sparring with her doesn't work..." Joel read. "...Offer her a massage to calm her-Coen..." He stopped reading and put his hands on his hips. "...That's just creepy!"

"If it works..." Coen managed, shrugging.

"Whatever..." Joel muttered, looking back down at the paper. "...Number Three: Drug her." After reading this he folded the paper and looked up at his accomplice. "That's all? Those are the only three things you could come up with?"

"For now..." Coen told him.

"And if none of these work?" Joel growled, clenching his teeth.

"Then come back here..." Coen managed.

"Oh, don't worry..." Joel narrowed his eyes as he put the folded piece of paper into the pocket of his pants. "...I will." Then, Joel slowly turned around and started to walk toward the door.

LINE BREAK

With her arms folded behind her back, Mrs. Jenkins paced back and forth, while six of her hunched over minions were lined up together, all of them managing to look up to watch her as she walked near them.

"How?" Mrs. Jenkins asked, turning back around and starting to walk back toward the ledge. "How could I find a way to either lure Rose here or to lead her on her path? There has to be some way..."

However, as she reached the edge, she gasped and came to a complete halt after a dead cat appeared right in front of her feet from thin air.

Recovering from her surprise, Mrs. Jenkins knelt down and picked up the killed cat. "Katy..." She breathed, looking up from the cat.

LINE BREAK

Katy, completely un-aged from her encounter with Jake in the woods, brushed her hands against her knees, just under the end of her tight shorts. Straightening up, Katy looked down into her bubbling potion in her cauldron.

Satisfied, the Huldra turned and started to walk toward the door of her small room. However, Katy stopped when the bubbling of her potion got quite a bit louder. Unbeknownst to Katy, within seconds, the head of Mrs. Jenkins emerged from the potion. "Katy..." She said, making the Huldra spin around quickly, gasping as she saw the grinning head of Mrs. Jenkins.

LINE BREAK

With a "ding", the watery elevator doors slid open and Rose stepped out in her dragon form. She had already removed her cloak, which she now had slung over her shoulder, traveling toward her room.

LINE BREAK

Opening the door to her dark room, Rose pulled her cloak off of her shoulder and dropped it in the floor before her entire form was consumed by a bright light. As the light faded a few seconds later, the now human Rose started to walk toward her bed, only to freeze and gasp as she saw that there was a dark, shadowy figure sitting on her bed.

"Who are you?" Rose demanded, holding up her hands, preparing for a fight.

"Don't do anything silly, Rose..." The figure spoke, standing up, Rose's eyes widening as she realized who it was.

"Joel?" She asked as she lowered her hands. "What are you doing in my room?"

"Waiting for you to get back from your little flight..." Joel said as he started to walk toward her. "...How did it go? Did you deliver the letter?"

"Yeah..." Rose answered as Joel stopped in front of her, Rose now being able to see his smiling face.

"Good." Joel crossed his arms. "So, are you feeling better now?"

"Yeah..." Rose told him softly. "...Yeah, I guess I am. I think just knowing that they will get my letter makes me feel a little bit better..."

"That's good..." Joel said, still smiling as he lowered his arms to his side and put his hands on his hips. "...Look, I'm sorry for freaking you out. It's just...there's something else I wanted from you..."

"You want..." Rose raised an eyebrow as she took a step back. "...Something from me?"

"You see, I've got quite a bit of energy right now..." Joel still smiled, even as he looked at the rather disturbed look that Rose had on her face. "...So I was wondering if you would be willing to help me relieve some of that energy. Want to spar with me?"

Upon hearing this, Rose's disturbed look vanished completely and was replaced with a look of confusion. "Spar?" She asked, tilting her head to the side. "You mean like...fight?"

"Yeah..." Joel nodded once as he crossed his arms. "...So, what do you say, Rose? Help me out here?"

Staring at Joel, Rose straightened her head back up, blinking as she stared at Joel. Finally, Rose opened her mouth, but no words came out. Closing her mouth again, Rose brought up one of her hands and put it to her chin, trying to think, while Joel's confident smile slowly started to fade.

Finally, Rose pulled her hand away and made eye contact with Joel once again. "You really freaked me out there, Joel." She said.

"Sorry." Joel said, using his falsely sincere voice he could muster as he moved his hands behind his back.

"Well..." Rose said slowly, almost as if she was trying to still decide. Then, she made up her mind, giving her fellow team-member a small smile. "...I suppose so. I mean, it couldn't hurt, right?"

BLACKOUT; COMMERCIAL BREAK

BACK TO THE STORY/SHOW

"Katy..." The grinning head of Mrs. Jenkins repeated as the Huldra slowly walked toward the cauldron. "...Katy, come and talk to me..."

"You got my sacrifices for the year..." Katy told her.

"I can see that..." The ruler of the Underworld told her, still grinning. "...And I am quite impressed. For over fifteen years, you have been very loyal and very dependable. Which is why...I want you to come down here with me..."

"But won't I...die?" Katy asked, putting her hands on her hips.

"Not in the slightest..." Mrs. Jenkins' grin only widened. "...There have been...others...who have come down here and have lived to tell the tale..."

LINE BREAK

With her medallion dangling from around her neck, Cherri, in her human form, was walking along the grass when she froze, her eyes widening as she saw the backs of the human forms Arkadi and Lista, who were facing something. Curious, Cherri quickened her pace.

Stopping right at Arkadi's side, Cherri's eyes widened as she saw that both Joel and Rose were in their dragon forms, facing off against each other. "What's going on?" Cherri asked, turning her head to the side, seeing that both Arkadi and Lista were wearing their medallions.

"They're going to fight..." Arkadi said in his Russian accent, not bothering to turn his head to the side.

"Why?" Cherri asked as she turned her head back to normal.

"Apparently, Joel asked Rose to fight him..." Lista answered. "...She said yes..."

As Lista said this, Rose lifted up her claws for the fight, while Joel just smiled. Then, she grunted as he lashed out with his tail. In the blink of an eye, Rose lowered her hands and jumped back, missing the swipe. Still smiling, Joel then grunted again as he took off in a run, going toward Rose.

LINE BREAK

Mrs. Jenkins smiled as she stood in front of row of seven hunched over minions. Looking up, Mrs. Jenkins watched as a hole appeared from out of the darkness, Katy dropping out of this. With a grunt, the Huldra landed in a squatted position and as Mrs. Jenkins looked back down, Katy straightened up.

"I'm here." Katy said. "But I don't understand why I'm needed here..."

"That is why I am here to explain these things to you..." Mrs. Jenkins said with a cruel smile on her face as she stepped away from her minions. "...Walk with me, Katy..."

LINE BREAK

Back in Mermaid City, Cherri, Arkadi and Lista all watched as Rose and Joel struggled against one another, their hands wrapped together, almost as if in a battle of arm strength. Grunting, Rose was forced to take a step back as she struggled against Joel.

However, Rose managed to pick up her knee, which with a grunt, she managed to attack Joel with. Joel's eyes widened and he gasped in pain, letting go of Rose's clawed hands, allowing Rose to flap her wings once, picking herself into the air, allowing her to slam his tail into the chest of Joel, making the Peridot-colored dragon grunt as he was thrown off of his feet, grunting as his back hit the grass.

Lowering herself back onto the grass, Rose started to walk over to where Joel was lying. However, just as she stopped in front of him, she grunted as Joel's tail came up and smacked her in her chest. Rose jumped back and as her feet touched the ground, she skidded back before finally coming to a halt, frowning and narrowing her eyes as she watched Joel slowly get up on his feet.

"Surprise you?" Joel asked, a smile on his face.

"You could say that..." Rose told him. "...But you failed to knock me down..."

"Well, I can always try again..." Joel told her, his smile only widening as he started to run toward Rose. Quickly, Rose flapped her wings and flew into the air, only to have Joel stop in his tracks and look up, blowing out a torrent of fire.

Seconds later, Rose grunted as she slammed against the ground on her back. "Rose!" Cherri turned to the side and started to move toward where her friend had fallen, but she stopped as Rose grunted, sitting up.

"I'm okay..." She said, turning her head to the side to look at Cherri. Then, she turned her head back to normal, seeing Joel offering his clawed hand to her. "...And I don't need help..." Rose told him, making the Peridot-colored dragon lower his arm and take three steps back, hearing Rose grunt as she got back to her feet.

"Shall we continue?" Joel smiled.

"Actually..." Rose said as she took a step back. "...I think I've had enough fighting..."

LINE BREAK

Rose stood in the bathroom in her human form, splashing the running water into her face, completely unaware that the still dragon Joel stepped into the room, watching as Rose turned off the water.

Turning around, Rose started to walk out of the room, but after only one step, she froze and gasped. "Joel, what are you doing?" She asked.

"You seemed really eager to call the match quits..." Joel answered as he leaned against the doorframe. "...So I thought that maybe you got hurt or something like that..."

"No." Rose told him. "I'm fine."

"You sure?" Joel checked.

"Positive."

"Good..." Joel smiled as he straightened up. Putting his clawed hands on his hips. "...I would feel really bad if I had hurt you during our match..."

Rose said nothing. Instead, she just stared at the Peridot dragon standing before her. Finally, she opened her mouth as she crossed her arms. "Why do you keep coming to me?" She asked him. "It's kind of unnerving..."

At first, Joel's eyes widened from shock upon hearing this, but he managed to recover quickly. "I apologize, Rose." He told her. "That's not my intention. I'm just concerned about you. I just wanted to make sure that you're okay..." He took a step toward Rose. "...My fire hit you and took a fall..."

"I've had worse..." Rose told him, lowering her arms.

"...Well, like I said, I'd feel awful if you were hurt." Joel said. "So, I just wanted to make sure that you're alright..."

"Well, now you know..." Rose told him.

Nodding three times, Joel put his scaly arms behind his back. "Good to know, Rose." He told her. "And look...you look really tense right now. Maybe I could..." As he said this, he held up his arms. "...Give you a massage? Relax you..."

Blinking away the shock of hearing these words, Rose's mouth gaped open and for a few seconds, Joel could see her making inaudible motions with her mouth. Finally, Rose frowned as she simply just started to walk toward the door. "Move, Joel." She told him in her Huntsgirl tone.

His eyes wide, Joel listened to her, turning to the side and taking a step back as Rose walked past where he had been standing, walking out of the door. As Rose walked away from the bathroom as quickly as she could, Joel turned his head back to normal, no longer watching Rose leave.

Sighing, the Peridot-colored dragon stepped away from the wall and reverted to his human form in a bright light. As soon as the light faded, Joel reached into the pocket of his pants, pulling out the piece of paper that Coen had given him.

Frowning, Joel allowed a bright light consume only his head and as soon as it faded, his head was in its dragon form. Holding the paper right in front of his mouth, Joel blew out a torrent of fire, setting it aflame.

Dropping the flaming piece of paper to the floor, Joel's head once again became consumed with a bright light. As soon as the light faded, Joel's human head was back. "Well..." He said as he looked down at the smoldering piece of paper. "...It looks like I'll just have to drug her..."

BLACKOUT; COMMERCIAL BREAK

BACK TO THE STORY/SHOW

Still quickly walking along the side of one of the buildings, Rose quickly turned a corner and continued walking, only to grunt as she bumped into Arkadi. Both dragons took a step back, both surprised by what had just happened.

"Sorry..." Rose said sheepishly.

"It's okay..." Arkadi said in his Russian accent. "...I'm fine. But what about you?"

"I'm okay." Rose told him, a little out of breath. "It's just...I just want to be alone. Joel's kind of freaking me out..."

"What could he possibly do that would freak you out?" Arkadi asked with a tone of confusion.

"It's..." Rose started, but she stopped as she took a deep breath. Then, she began again: "...It's kind of a long story. He just won't leave me alone."

"Do you want me to talk to him?" Arkadi asked.

"No." Rose shook her head once. "Don't say anything to him." She then took a step toward her fellow team-member. "I'm sure he means no harm, but I just don't like it. Maybe it's just me..."

LINE BREAK

In the kitchen, Joel knelt down a couple inches away from the doors to the bottom cupboard. Reaching out, Joel opened the door and started to look through all of the bottles of drugs and other medicines.

Joel quickly scanned every single last bottle that was lined up on the three shelves. Then, he reached for the very first bottle on the top shelf. Pulling it out, Joel looked at the label...

LINE BREAK

In his room, Coen was sticking out his tongue, his hand on the golden dragon-shaped device on his tongue as he sat at his desk. However, as the door to his room opened, Coen was forced to pull his tongue back into his mouth and spin around in his chair as Joel stepped into the room, a look of anger on his face.

"Something wrong?" Coen managed to ask.

"What does it look like?" Joel growled loudly, clenching his fists. "None of my attempts to get Rose's blood worked!" As he continued, he turned and started to pace back and forth. "She called out little sparring match off before I could get a chance to slice into her. Then she refused the massage idea. Oh..." At this point, he stopped pacing and turned back to the side to look at Coen again. "...And did I mention that THERE IS NOTHING I CAN USE TO DRUG HER?!"

"Pity..."

"You're right..." Joel said as he crossed his arms. "...It is a pity. For you. Because if I don't get another plan out of you by tonight, I will kill you..."

After saying this, he turned around and started to walk toward the door. Coen's eyes were wide as he watched Joel slam the door behind himself. As soon as he was alone, Coen opened his mouth and started to breathe heavily.

Spinning back around to face his desk, Coen scooted his chair back a few inches. Then, he leaned over and reached for something that was under his desk. Pulling it out from under his desk, he set the item down on the top of his table, revealing it to be an old laptop.

Scooting himself closer to the table, Coen managed to open the laptop, having an internet page already open. Setting his fingers on the keyboard, Coen quickly started to type out on into the browser: _**Freeing Yourself From Black Magic**_.

LINE BREAK

"I'm very impressed with you, Katy..." Mrs. Jenkins said to Katy as the two women walked around in the Underworld. "...Despite your failure that one time all those years ago in those woods, you have always managed to deliver all of your sacrifices for each year..."

"I work hard..." Katy answered.

"I suppose you could say that your hard work has paid off." Mrs. Jenkins said, turning her head to the side very briefly before she returned it to normal. "Allow me to explain, Katy. About a week ago, I was offered three sacrifices. One of them perished here while the other two got away..."

"I don't...I don't understand..." Katy admitted, turning her head to the side.

"I'm not finished." Mrs. Jenkins told her. "Now, one of them lost her parents to a violent crime. Instead of just trying to kill her myself, I've decided to let time take its toll. I'm willing to let her die naturally, but I have to assure myself that once that finally happens, her soul will be mine."

"And how will you do that?" Katy asked as she turned her head back to normal.

"Make sure that she kills the responsible party." Mrs. Jenkins answered. "However, I'm finding that I'm getting rather impatient. I'm getting no sense that she has gone out looking for vengeance."

"Maybe she has, though." Katy told her. "Maybe she just hasn't killed the killer yet."

"No..." Mrs. Jenkins told her darkly, stopping her walk. Taking another step before she stopped, Katy turned around, crossing her arms. "...No..." Mrs. Jenkins repeated. "...She hasn't even started yet. I can sense it. I'm the Lord of the Dead. I would know these kinds of things."

"But what does this even have to do with me?" Katy asked as she lowered her arms to her side.

"I'd like you..." Mrs. Jenkins smiled evilly. "...To find her and lead her in the direction to vengeance..."

"And..." Katy said as she put her hands on her hips. "...What would be in it for me?"

"Aw..." Mrs. Jenkins' smile only widened. "...I'm very glad you asked that..." She said as she took a step toward the Huldra. "...To answer that question, I invite you back fifteen years ago, those woods, your defeat..."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Katy frowned.

"Remember that red dragon?" Mrs. Jenkins crossed her arms.

"Jake..." Katy growled, lowering her hands and clenching them into tight balls. "...How could I ever forget?" She asked with clenched teeth.

"And your little slave..." Mrs. Jenkins added.

"Her too..." Katy grumbled.

"Well..." Mrs. Jenkins said. "...It's been fifteen years. Times have changed. Both dragon and slave have grown up. The woman I want you to guide...is not only the twin sister of your old slave..." As Mrs. Jenkins said this, Katy's eyes widened, her mouth opened and her fists slowly started to unclench. "...But she has also grown up to become the wife of Jake. The woman I want you to guide...is Rose Long..."

LINE BREAK

Night had fallen at Mermaid City. In full dragon form, Joel had his fists clenched as he stormed across the grass. "I need that blood..." He growled. "...Without it, my hopes can never come to be."

Stopping, he sighed as he looked down at the grass. However, within only five seconds, he looked back, narrowing his eyes. "I need her blood. Right now."

LINE BREAK

In her darkened room, Rose, in her human form, lied on her side, under the covers of her bed, fast asleep.

Unbeknownst to her, the door to her room creaked open and Joel slowly stepped inside, a malicious smile on his face as moved toward the bed. As soon as he reached the bed, Joel looked down at Rose's sleeping form.

'Don't worry, Rose..." Joel said softly. "...You won't feel a thing. When you wake up tomorrow morning, you'll never know that this has happened..."

After finishing saying this, Joel's grin returned as he raised his clawed hand. "...And I'll finally have what I want..."

However, before he could even start to bring down his claws, Rose yawned as she rolled over onto her back. His eyes widening, Joel held his breath, just as Rose started to open her eyes.

As she opened her eyes, she looked up at the ceiling. Slowly, Rose pushed herself up into a sitting position, smacking her lips. However, she froze and her eyes widened as she heard the sound of her door creaking.

Turning her head to the side, Rose could see that her opened door was slowly closing, causing the creaking sound.

Slowly, Rose turned herself around and set her feet down on the ground. Standing up, Rose slowly started to walk toward her door. "That's odd..." She said to herself. "...I thought I closed it..."

As soon as she reached the door, she quickly brought her arm up and, with a flick of her wrist, slammed her door shut. As she turned around, Rose yawned again as she started to slowly walk back over to her bed.

LINE BREAK

In his room, Coen continued to type on his laptop. However, as soon as he heard his door open and then close loudly, he jumped in surprise, quickly closing his laptop as soon as he recovered. He then quickly spun around in his chair, only to see Joel, now in his human form and with the detonator in his hand, walking toward him.

"I'm not waiting any longer, Coen..." Joel said with a growl. "...I want Rose's blood. You're going to give me an idea right now...or else it's going to be lights out for good..."

His eyes widening, Coen slowly brought up his hands in a weak attempt to defend himself. "Give me a minute..." Joel managed.

"One. Minute." Joel growled, stopping in front of his accomplice.

Gulping, Coen lowered his hands and looked down, while Joel crossed his arms. "Okay..." Coen finally said, looking up.

"You have an idea?" Joel asked, dropping his arms to his sides as Coen nodded. "Well, what's your idea?"

Coen stared at Joel for a few seconds before he finally spun around in his chair reaching out and grabbing a piece of paper. Joel waited patiently as he heard the sound of a pen scratching against paper.

Thirty seconds later, Coen spun back around and held up the piece of paper that he had written on. "Take her out into public..." Joel read. "...Some place where there are a lot of people. Tire her out first and then take her to the place, which should be a place where accidents are possible."

"Accidents..." Coen confirmed.

"You mean that I should make it look like an accident?"

"Yes, Joel..." Coen managed.

"Well, then..." Joel smiled, Coen watching as Joel put the detonator back into the pocket of his pants. "...You're saved for now..." Joel extended his arms out to his side. "...And if this plan works..." He lowered his hands back down. "...You'll be free..."

Without saying another word, Joel then turned around and started to walk toward the door of the room. Once Joel reached it, he turned the knob and opened the door, stepping out into the night. As the door closed behind Joel, Coen sighed with relief, turning back around to face his desk.

LINE BREAK

"A place where accidents can happen?" Joel asked himself as he walked along the grass in the darkness of the night. "How am I going to find a place like-" However, before he finished, he froze in place and his lips curled into a smile.

"I think I know just the place..." He said.

LINE BREAK

"So, what do you think, Katy?" Mrs. Jenkins asked as she and Katy walked toward the River Styx. "Think it would be an opportunity to get revenge?" She asked, turning her head to the side.

"I know it would be..." Katy said as they stopped, reaching the edge. "...And-" However, before she could finish, she stopped and turned her head to the side as Mrs. Jenkins put her hand on her shoulder. "What are you doing?"

"I would stand back if I were you..." Mrs. Jenkins said, turning her head to the side to look at Katy.

"Why?" Katy asked.

"Those souls have a mind of their own sometimes..." Mrs. Jenkins said, turning her head back to normal as Katy took a step back. "...Now, as you were saying?" Mrs. Jenkins asked as she looked down at the river.

"I'm interested." Katy said.

"Good..." Mrs. Jenkins said, turning around, smiling at the Huldra.

"However..." Katy put her hands on her hips. "...How am I going to be able to find this woman?"

"Oh, don't you worry about that..." Mrs. Jenkins' grin only widened as she turned to the side. Then, she completely turned around, looking down at the River Styx. "...I think I'm getting an idea..."

BLACKOUT; END

**A/N: These episodes are getting shorter...and boy do I NOT CARE!** **Having one story that** **takes up the entire series is quite a bit harder than what I did with Season Three and Haley Long. Some of these episodes that are rather pivotal are hard to flesh out so they fall about a page short. I'll just say it now that there are two episodes in this season that I have no idea how I'm going to make them longer than five pages.**

**Oh well, I'll see what I can do. In the meantime, please review. Reviews are greatly appreciated. **


	3. Chapter 3

Future Dragon: Rose Long (Season Four)

Chapter/Episode 3: Return of a Friend

In the Underworld, two of the hunched over minions emerged from the River Styx and started to climb up the bank, while two more lowered heads of the minions emerged from the soul-filled water.

Meanwhile up on the land, Katy and Mrs. Jenkins stood together. "Are you sure that this is a good idea?" Katy asked, turning her head to the side.

"Trust me, Katy..." Mrs. Jenkins grinned as she stared over the ledge, Katy slowly turning her head back to normal as well. "...This is a flawless plan..."

As she said this, two of the minions stepped up onto the ledge taking a step each, the two minions turned around and reached out, taking something. Then, the two minions took three more steps back as Katy was able to see the two lowered heads of the two other minions. Then, all four of the minions kneeled down, setting the rotting dead body of Angela down on her back.

In her dragon form, even in death, Angela's eyes were closed, her entire body drenched with water and was decaying. Her wooden leg was rotting and had mold on it.

As the four minions stood back up, the minion to the right of Angela's body turned around to face Mrs. Jenkins slowly lifting its head up, only to have Mrs. Jenkins point at it. "You!" She ordered, making the minion take a step back. "Go back into the river..." Mrs. Jenkins continued as she lowered her arm. "...And get her soul. It should be easier than fetching her corpse. You can do it alone..."

As the minion turned around and started to walk over to the ledge, jumping off, the grinning Mrs. Jenkins turned her attention to the others. "As for you." She told the other three. "Pump the water out of her lungs.

Then, Mrs. Jenkins turned her head to the side to look at the Huldra, who also turned her head to the side. "Tell me about this perfect plan..." Katy said.

"This is the sacrifice that perished here." Mrs. Jenkins explained. "She knows Rose Long. She will be able to find her."

"Then what am I supposed to do?"

"You are going to keep an eye on her." Mrs. Jenkins said. "Make sure that the dragon doesn't do anything stupid. Got it?"

"I understand..." Katy replied, just as the two turned their heads back to normal as they heard the sound of water splattering against the ground. They could see that one of the hunched over minions was standing by the side of Angela's body, while the other two were on opposite sides of one another, pressing down on Angela's chest. With her mouth open, Angela's body jerked as water came flying up out of her mouth, hitting the floor on both sides of her head.

To the side, they could see the final hunched over minion stepped up onto the ledge, carrying Angela's flopping soul behind it. "Good..." Mrs. Jenkins grinned as she saw this, clasping her hands together. "...Bring me her soul!" She shouted at the minion.

The minion complied, struggling to make its way over to Mrs. Jenkins as Angela's soul flopped against the ground. Finally, the minion was able to reach Mrs. Jenkins, only to have Mrs. Jenkins kick the minion off of its feet and to the ground a couple of inches away. Lowering her leg, Mrs. Jenkins leaned over and picked up the flopping soul in both of her hands.

Standing straight up, Mrs. Jenkins slowly walked over to Angela's body as Angela's soul flopped and struggled in her grip. "Stop struggling..." Mrs. Jenkins growled.

Upon reaching the body, Mrs. Jenkins turned around and straddled over the body. Angela's soul continued to struggle even as Mrs. Jenkins leaned down and started to lower her back into her body. As soon as Angela's soul sank back into her body, her body's eyes immediately snapped open.

LINE BREAK

Opening the door to his room, Joel stepped inside and closed the door behind himself. Walking over to his bed, he started to talk to himself: "It's the perfect place. It will be so filled with people that no one will see it coming, not even Rose herself..."

As he finished saying this, he had reached the bed. Turning around, Joel sat down on his bed in thought. "...The only problem is that I don't know how to get her to go with me..."

Narrowing his eyes, Joel fell back onto his back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. "Hey Rose..." He said to himself. "...Want to go to the mall with me?"

LINE BREAK

Back in the Underworld, Angela swayed back and forth on her feet as she stood in front of Mrs. Jenkins and Katy. "Stop doing that!" Mrs. Jenkins barked. In response, Angela took one step back with one of her feet, trying to steady herself.

"Good." Mrs. Jenkins crossed her arms as she saw that Angela no longer swayed. "Now, you might be wondering why I reunited you with your body." After saying this, she dropped her hands to her sides and then put them behind her back, starting to walk over to Angela. "Are you?"

When she got no answer from Angela, Mrs. Jenkins only smiled as she started to walk in a circle around Angela. "How do you feel?" She asked.

"I don't..." Angela answered as Mrs. Jenkins continued to circle her.

"Believe me, that is normal..." Mrs. Jenkins said. "...I want you to put your hand over your heart. Tell me what you feel..."

Without saying anything, Angela obeyed and put her clawed hand up to her chest, right where her heart was. Immediately, her eyes widened. "Nothing." She said, lowering her hand as Mrs. Jenkins stopped pacing around her, turning to face her, a cruel smile on her face. "I feel nothing..." Angela told her.

"Now..." Mrs. Jenkins continued. "...Check for a pulse."

"I don't have a heartbeat." Angela told her. "How could I have a pulse if I don't have a heartbeat?"

"Smart dragon..." Mrs. Jenkins said mockingly as she took a step back. "...In case you're wondering, you may be back in your body, but you're still dead. Just thought I'd tell you this...so you don't get any ideas..."

"What do you want from me?" Angela asked softly, slowly bringing her clawed hands up to her head, placing them there.

"You remember your friends, right?" Mrs. Jenkins asked, making Angela's eyes widen again as she slowly lowered her clawed hands to her side.

"The team?" She asked softly.

"Most importantly..." Mrs. Jenkins grinned as she put her hands on her hips. "...Rose..."

"They're safe from you..." Angela growled, her eyes narrowing. "...If you think I'm going to help you claim Rose's life, then you are-ughh!" However, before she could finish, she grunted as Mrs. Jenkins slapped her across the side of the face.

"Sting?" Mrs. Jenkins asked as she pulled her hand back. "Good." Then, she waited for Angela to turn her head back to normal before she spoke again: "I don't think, I know. Do you know why?" She crossed her arms. "Because your soul is at my mercy. You are going to lead Rose Long here. Once she's here...well, you won't have to worry about that..."

Angela opened her mouth to speak, but before she could, Mrs. Jenkins turned around and faced Katy. "I want you to take her to wherever you are staying." She said. "Then I want you to get her cleaned up. Then, first thing in the morning, I want you to go out and look for Rose."

LINE BREAK

Opening the door to a room, Katy stepped out of the room and into the hallway of her home. Turning to the side, the Huldra walked down the hall, leaving Angela, in her dragon form, all alone in the room.

Slowly turning around, Angela looked at the Huldra's bubbling cauldron.

Meanwhile, Katy stepped into the next room, where there was a bed and a dresser with a large mirror on it. Walking over to the dresser and turning to the side, Katy looked down at the tabletop, using her hands to sort through several items, including a brush, bags and pieces of paper.

After a few seconds, Katy groaned as she looked up. "Lost cause..." She mused. "...I don't have any make-up. I don't know how else I'm going to be able to make a dead woman presentable and pass her off as actually alive..."

Meanwhile, Angela was still staring at the cauldron, only to turn around as she heard footsteps, seeing Katy walk back into the room. "Step away from the cauldron..." She ordered as she walked toward the cauldron. Without saying a word, Angela slowly stepped to the side, allowing Katy to step up to the cauldron. Looking down, Katy frowned.

"Master, we have a problem..." She said.

Within seconds, the potion inside the cauldron started to bubble, and within seconds, the head of Mrs. Jenkins emerged from the potion. "What is it?" Mrs. Jenkins asked as she looked up.

"I have nothing that I can use to make her look like she's actually alive." Katy told her.

"You don't?"

"No." Katy said, turning her head to the side to look at Angela, who was turned so that she was watching the two communicate. Katy then turned her head back to normal. "In my book, I'd say she's a lost cause..."

Mrs. Jenkins stared up at Katy for a few seconds before she finally opened her mouth: "Then here is what you'll do. First thing in the morning, when the mall first opens, take her there and get one of the employees to help you out."

"Do you think that will work?" Katy asked.

"Make it work..." Mrs. Jenkins told her darkly.

BLACKOUT; COMMERCIAL BREAK

BACK TO THE STORY/SHOW

At Mermaid City, Rose, now dressed in her normal clothes, finished remaking her bed before she straightened up and turned around, starting to walk toward her door. As soon as she reached the door and opened it, she immediately froze, yelped and took a step back as she saw Joel standing right outside her door, smiling at her.

Her shock quickly vanishing, Rose frowned as she put her hands on her hips. "What are you doing?" She demanded. "You're really freaking me out, Joel!"

As he heard this, Joel's smile slowly faded. "Gee, Rose, I'm sorry..." He reached over and grabbed his left arm with his right hand as he took a step into the room, forcing Rose to take another step back. "...It's not my intention to make you feel uncomfortable. I sincerely apologize."

"Well, if you're-" Rose started, but she was stopped as Joel spoke again, holding up one of his hands to silence her:

"I just want to help you out." He told her as he lowered his hand. "You're going through a very difficult time in your life right now. I just want to help you out..."

"I appreciate that." Rose told him. "But practically stalking me isn't the way to go about it." After saying this, she started to walk out of the room, making Joel walk backwards until he was out of the room. Stopping a few feet away from the door, Joel watched as Rose exited the room, turned to the side and started to walk off.

"Hey, Rose!" Joel called as he turned to the side, making Rose stop in her tracks.

Slowly turning around, Rose put her hands on her hips as she faced Joel. "What?" She asked in an annoyed tone.

"I really do want to help you." Joel said, starting to walk toward Rose. "In fact, I was even thinking...that maybe..." As he stalled, he stopped right in front of Rose. "...Maybe we could go out today-"

"Out?" Rose asked, her voice expressing a tone of disgust.

"You know..." Joel continued. "...Out to look for any clues that could lead you to finding the killer of your parents."

"Yeah, maybe after breakfast..." Rose waved him off, turning back around and starting to walk away.

"Rose!" Joel called, making Rose stop again.

"Joel, I told you-" Rose began, but Joel cut her off.

"Can I just say one thing?" Joel begged as he started to walk toward her. "You could wait until later, but let me just run one thing by you..."

"What, Joel?" Rose asked, turning around and putting her hands on her hips.

"...You could wait until later..." Joel said again. "...Or you could come with me now. You may want to wait, but you never know. What if the only way that you could find the killer was if you went right now?"

Hearing these words, the harsh look on Rose's face slowly faded, her arms dropped to her sides, and her eyes slowly widened, her mouth slowly opening.

LINE BREAK

The watery submarine emerged from the water and made contact with the dock. The top hatch opening up, the escalator slowly emerged, both Rose and Joel, in their dragon forms wearing their medallions, being lifted up as they stood on the same step.

As the top step reached the dock, Joel stepped up onto the dock, quickly followed by Rose. "I hope you're right, Joel." Rose said as she turned her head to the side.

"Everything in life is a gamble, Rose." Joel smiled without turning his head to the side, Rose returning her head to normal.

"Where are we going to search?" Rose asked.

"Everywhere." Joel said, his smile widening.

"What?" Rose's eyes widened as she turned her head to the side.

It took Joel a few seconds to respond, but when he did, he turned his head to the side to look Rose in the eyes. "Everywhere, Rose." He told her. "We've got wings, we've got strength. We can manage searching all throughout New York..." As he said this, he clenched both of his clawed hands into fists as he brought them up to his chest, turning his head back to normal. "It's early enough." He added.

"I don't know about this, Joel..." Rose said.

"Don't be silly, Rose..." Joel turned his head back to the side. "...I know you can handle it. I think this is for the best..."

"But..."

"Just don't think about it." Joel said as he once again turned his head back to normal. "Just flap your wings." He then started to flap his wings, starting slow at first, but then picking up speed. "Let's go..."

LINE BREAK

Rose and Joel were flying side-to-side, high up in the air. "Where first?" Rose asked, turning her head to the side.

"How about Central Park?" Joel asked, not even bothering to turn his head to the side.

LINE BREAK

Folding in his wings, Joel touched down on the grass. Turning his head to the side, he watched as Rose landed right beside him. Then, he turned his head back to normal, both dragons seeing that no one was there.

"No one is here." Rose said.

"Okay, then..." Joel took a step back. "...I guess we can look...we can keep on going. We can find some other place..."

LINE BREAK

Back at Katy's home, Katy stepped into her own room and turned to the side, walking over to her closet and turning to the side again. The Huldra pulled open her closet, revealing a row of differently colored silk dresses.

"Hmm..." The Huldra thought out loud as she put her hand to her chin, staring at the dressed. Finally, after a few seconds, she reached out and pulled out a blue dress that was in the middle of the row.

LINE BREAK

Still in her dragon form, Angela sat against the wall, her arms wrapped around her legs, which she held up to her stomach. She blinked, just staring blankly across the room.

However, when she heard footsteps, she turned her head to the side, seeing Katy walk into the room, wearing high-heels and the blue silk dress. "Come on, dragon." She said, stopping in the doorway as she put her hands on her hips. "Get up and follow me. We're going to make you look like you're actually alive."

"I have a name..." Angela said, slowly turning her head back to normal as she slowly started to get to her feet.

"I don't think that matters very much right now..." Katy grinned cruelly as she watched Angela slowly walk to the middle of the room before she turned to the side to stare at her. "...You're dead."

"I'd still like some respect..." Angela said softly, only making Katy's cruel smile widen.

"You think you're worth anything?!" The Huldra asked. "Because you're not! Just consider yourself lucky that my master allowed you a few hours of freedom from that river. Now..." She added as she crossed her arms. "...Just come with me. I don't want you to say a word on the way..." She then slowly started to turn around.

However, just as Katy took a step into the hallway, she froze as she heard the sound of Angela's voice: "Where are we going?"

Growling in annoyance, the Huldra slowly turned around to face Angela, frowning as she put her hands on her hips. "Weren't you paying attention when I spoke to my master?" She asked When she got no answer after ten seconds, she continued: "The mall, dragon. We're going to make you look a little more...lively..."

LINE BREAK

With a ding, two sliding doors opened and Katy stepped inside a department store in the mall with a now human Angela. In her human form, Angela's clothes were soaked and her shirt was torn right over her belly.

"Alright..." Katy said as the two of them walked further into the store. "...Let's go find you some help..."

The Huldra and the dragon then turned and continued to walk down the floor, passing by several aisles. As they passed by an aisle and neared another, they could see that a woman with a shopping cart stepping out of the aisle and turning, starting to walk toward them. However, when the woman saw Angela as she and Katy stopped, she gasped.

Just scowling, Katy put her hand on Angela's wet and rotting shoulder. Together, the dragon and the Huldra walked to the side of the cart and passed the woman, who turned her head to the side in horror.

"There..." Katy pointed out as soon as they passed the woman. Together, they could see a male cashier, who, with no customers, was hunched over at his station with his chin in his hands. "...Leave it to me..." Katy whispered, turning her head to the side briefly before she turned it back to normal.

At the cash register, the male cashier lifted up his head, his eyes wide as Katy and Angela stopped at the counter. "Excuse me..." Katy smiled as she spoke. "...Do you know where we can buy some make-up? My friend her really needs it..."

LINE BREAK

Landing on the Empire State Building, the still smiling Joel took a few steps before turning around, watching as a panting Rose landed on her feet on the edge of the building. "You okay, there?" Joel asked with a smile on his face as he took a step toward Rose.

"Wh...Why...?" Rose tried, but she stopped as she took a deep breath. After a few seconds of trying to catch her breath, Rose finally spoke again as the rising and falling of her chest returned to normal: "...Why are we here? Who would be here?"

"I don't know..." Joel admitted with a shrug of his shoulders. "...I just thought..."

"This is a waste of time." Rose cut him off as she turned around, looking out into the horizon as she crossed her scaly arms. "The killer of my parents wouldn't be up here." She said in a growl as Joel walked up beside her.

"I'm sorry." Joel apologized as he turned his head to the side. "Look, I can see that you're tired."

"You are so observant..." Rose said sarcastically as she lowered her arms. "...Good for you..."

"You don't have to be so rude..." Joel said with a mock tone of sadness as he turned his head back to normal. "...I'm only trying to help you out. I was just about to say that we go some place for lunch. Rebuild our strength..."

Annoyance flashed through Rose's eyes, but just as she started to open her mouth, her eyes widened as she heard a growling noise coming from her stomach. Sighing, she looked down at her feet briefly before she looked up. "Where did you have in mind?"

BLACKOUT; COMMERCIAL BREAK

BACK TO THE STORY/SHOW

Back at the mall, the male cashier pulled out a small glass bottle of makeup out of a glass container. Then, he set it down on the glass counter for Katy and Angela to both look at. "This should do the trick..." The cashier said, looking up at the two women, his gaze stuck on Angela.

"Well, we'll need more than one of these..." Katy said as she reached out and took the small bottle, holding it up so she could look at it properly. "...We'll probably need at least ten of these to make my friend look better..."

"I'll say..." The cashier agreed as Katy lowered the bottle back down to the glass counter. "...Say, what happened to her, anyway?"

"Hmm..." Katy smiled as she leaned over the glass counter, holding her chin up with her palm, her elbow on the glass. "...Tell you what..." She proposed, reaching up with her free hand and putting it on the cashier's shoulder. "...Come into one of the back rooms with us and apply the make-up on her. I'll tell you all about it..."

The cashier's cheeks blushed a bright red and his eyes widened, blinking twice at the feeling of being touched on the shoulder. "O...Okay..." He managed.

LINE BREAK

Now in one of the changing rooms, the male cashier closed the door behind him before he turned around, seeing Katy with her arms crossed as she leaned against the wall and Angela as she sat on the bench beside a row of ten bottles of make-up.

Without saying a word, the male cashier started to walk over to where Angela sat and knelt down right in front of her. "Go into your dragon form..." Katy demanded, turning her head to the side. "...He'll be able to get all of you that way..."

The male cashier had turned his head to the side when he heard Katy speak, but as he turned his head back to normal, his eyes were wide. "You're...You're a dragon?" He asked as he looked up at Angela's face.

"She won't bite..." Katy said as she stepped away from the wall. The Huldra then turned and started to walk toward the door. As soon as she reached it, she stopped and turned around. "I'll be right back." She said. "I'm going to go pick out some new clothes for you to wear. I expect you to be hard at work when I come back, boy..."

Looking down, Angela could hear the boy gulp as she heard the door open and then close. Slowly the boy reached over and grabbed the first bottle of make-up. Holding it up to his chest, the cashier unscrewed the top; holding the top in one hand, he set the rest of the bottle on the floor. Angela watched as the cashier turned over the lid and reached into it, pulling out the sponge.

Angela then watched as the cashier dipped the sponge into the bottle and then took it out, inching it toward Angela's leg.

"Wait..." Angela said, making the cashier freeze and look up at Angela as she closed her eyes. "...Dragon up..." Angela said.

Then, in a bright light, Angela's human form was consumed. A few seconds later, the light faded, and in the place of Angela's human form sat Angela's dragon form. Looking down, Angela said softly: "Okay, you can begin now..."

Nodding, the cashier lowered his head and put the sponge to Angela's scaly leg. Closing her eyes, Angela tried her best to relax as the cashier started to slide the sponge up her leg.

LINE BREAK

Meanwhile, Katy was in the women's clothing sections, sliding racked shirts to the side that she didn't like. Finally, after pushing aside the second to last T-shirt, she saw that the last one on the rack was a large black T-shirt with a large, white skull on it.

"This'll do..." Katy said to herself as she pulled the shirt off of the rack.

LINE BREAK

Back in the changing room, the cashier was now standing up, albeit leaning over as he ran the sponge up Angela's scaly belly. "Is this making you uncomfortable?" The cashier asked as he looked up at Angela, who still had her eyes closed.

Responding to the question directed at her, Angela slowly opened her eyes to look at the male as he glanced back down at her chest as he brushed it against her chest. "No." Angela said softly.

"Good to know..." The cashier replied as he moved the sponge up to her scaly shoulder.

As the cashier worked on her, Angela kept her eyes trained on the door, only blinking every twenty seconds. On her very first blink, the door to the room opened and Katy stepped inside, holding a bundle of clothes.

"Here..." She said as she dropped them to the floor, where Angela could make them out as a brown leather jacket, a pair of new jeans and a black T-shirt with a skull on the front. "...Once he's done with you..." The Huldra continued as she turned around and closed the door. "...You can throw out your old ones..." Then, she turned back around and smiled as she put her hands on her hips. "...And wear these..."

At this point, the cashier reached Angela's neck, but as he moved up, his index finger accidentally left the sponge and touched her neck. Almost immediately, the cashier's eyes widened and within seconds, he pulled the sponge away.

"I'm sorry, but-" The cashier started as he moved his free hand toward Angela's neck.

"Something wrong?" Katy asked, crossing her arms as she watched the scene in front of her.

As he touched the side of Angela's neck, the cashier turned his head to the side. "It's a funny thing." He told the Huldra. "I don't think I felt a pul-" However, he immediately stopped and quickly turned his head back to normal, a confused look on his face. "I don't feel a pulse."

Katy smiled with amusement as the cashier put his hand to Angela's chest, the Heliotrope-colored dragon looking down as the cashier quickly pulled his hand away. "Oh my God!" The cashier gasped, running backwards, only to trip and fall into a sitting position. Pointing at Angela, he exclaimed: "She doesn't have a pulse or a heartbeat!"

"Well, of course she doesn't..." Katy said as she lowered her arms to her sides. "...You know how I promised you why she looks the way she does?" She asked as the cashier turned his head to the side to look at her. "Well, I'll tell you. She's a drowning victim. She's dead."

"But..." The cashier managed as he turned his head back to normal. "...She...She's right here!"

"The work of forces that are beyond your understanding..." Katy said, grinning before she started to walk over to the cashier.

As soon as she reached his back, she knelt down so that her head was at the level of his shoulder. Slipping her chin over his shoulder, she whispered into his ear: "Don't tell me that you're going to give up on her now?"

"But..."

"You promised..." Katy continued. "...And a promise is a promise, right?" As she finished saying this, she gave somewhat of a purr as she rubbed the side of her face to his. "Come on..." She whispered as she pulled her cheek away from his. "...Don't give up now..."

LINE BREAK

Meanwhile, the sliding doors of the mall slid open as the now human Joel and Rose walked inside the store. "The mall?" Rose asked as she turned her head to the side to look at Joel. "Is this really the best that you could come up with?"

"Can you come up with a better place?" Joel retorted softly, not turning his head to the side as the two of them continued to walk straight through the department store.

"No, but-"

"Then just trust me..." Joel said. "...Besides, there are plenty of places to get food." He added, Rose sighing and turning her head back to normal.

LINE BREAK

"Okay..." The cashier said as he set down the tenth and final empty make-up bottle next to the others. Stepping away, the cashier watched as Angela, who now had much more color in her scales and looked much more lively, looked down at herself.

"...That should do..." The cashier said. He then turned around and started to walk toward the door as Katy spoke up:

"Now go back to your human form..." Katy ordered as the cashier passed her. As Katy continued, the cashier opened the door and stepped outside: "...Take off your clothes and put these new ones on. I'll be waiting for you outside."

Then, the Huldra turned around and walked out of the room as well.

Outside of the dressing room, Katy stepped and he reached behind her and closed the door. Then, she turned to the side to see the cashier leaning against the wall. However, when he noticed her, he stepped away from the wall and turned to the side, watching as the grinning Huldra walked toward him.

"Thanks for helping out..." She said in a seductive tone.

"I wasn't helping..." The cashier said. "...You're going to need to pay..."

"Oh, I can do that..." Katy said with a smile on her face as she reached the cashier, reaching up with one hand and starting to stroke his chin. "...How much will it cost?" She said softly.

From behind the Huldra, the door opened and Angela stepped outside in her human form and wearing her new clothes. Closing the door behind her, the dragon turned around to see Katy facing the cashier.

However, upon hearing the door close, Katy turned her head to the side, a smile on her face. "Just stay where you are, dragon." She said. "I'm giving this boy his payment. I won't be much longer..."

LINE BREAK

Meanwhile, Joel and Rose were facing each other as they sat at a small table at a small restaurant in the middle of the large hallway that people walked through to get to dozens of smaller stores in the mall. The two were seated in front of the railing so they could watch the passing people, but this was not the case.

Instead, Joel just sipped on his soda as he watched Rose reach into the tray of their order of french-fries.

"You like fries, huh?" Joel asked with a smile as he lowered his cup.

"It's a weakness..." Rose stated as she pulled out a long fry.

"Hmm..." Joel acknowledged as he turned his head to the side, watching all of the passing shoppers. He then quickly turned his head in the opposite way, seeing all of the busy customers who were either too busy with their meals or with their friends to notice.

Turning his head back to normal, Joel could see Rose pick up her cup of soda. She then sipped it as she turned her head to the side, watching all of the shoppers outside of the restaurant.

Smiling, Joel decided to act. In a bright light, his Peridot-colored tail appeared and it wound around the side of the table, over to Rose's limp arm that was dangling over the armrest of the chair. Joel's grin widened as he started to bring the tip of his tail closer to Rose's flesh.

Oblivious to this, Rose lowered her cup from her mouth, pulling the straw out as she watched. However, as she saw a woman wearing a brown leather jacket and a pair of jeans walk right passed her beside a woman wearing a blue silk dress, Rose gasped.

Turning her head back to normal to follow them, she watched the backs of the two women. "It...It can't be..." Rose whispered to herself, blinking in shock.

However, when she spoke again, her tone was much louder: "Angela?"

BLACKOUT; END EPISODE

**A/N: What did you think? Were you surprised that Angela was "brought back"? Please review. **


	4. Chapter 4

Future Dragon: Rose Long (Season Four)

Chapter/Episode 4: Welcome Home

Upon hearing Rose's words, Joel's tail vanished in a bright light. "What did you just say, Rose?" Joel asked, leaning closer toward the table as Rose slowly pushed her chair back, slowly getting to her feet. "Rose?" Joel asked as Rose turned to the side and then completely turned around, quickly moving toward the exit of the restaurant.

"Rose!" Joel called, getting to his feet. However, Rose ignored him. Instead, she turned to the side and ran out of the restaurant. Groaning and rolling his eyes, Joel quickly moved to the side and then started to jog after Rose.

Outside, in the hall, several of the shoppers grunted as Rose pushed passed them, chasing after the two women. "Sorry!" Rose called as she turned her head to the side. However, she quickly returned her head back to normal as she saw several more shoppers in front of her.

"Please move!" Rose shouted as she continued to run, making the shoppers in her way turn around and look at her. Rose quickly ran passed them and her face lit up as she saw that the two women were now right in view.

"Rose!" Hearing the sound of Joel's voice, Rose turned her head to the side as she slowed down into a walk, seeing Joel running up and stopping into a walk alongside her. "Rose, we just got up and left without paying the bill." He told her.

"We'll go back and pay..." Rose said as she turned her head back to normal.

"But why did you just get up and leave?" Joel asked.

"See them?" Rose asked extending her arm and pointing out the two women walking in front of them.

"Yeah..."

"The one in the leather jacket looks like Angela..." Rose said, lowering her arm.

"But Angela's dead, Rose."

"Well, maybe she's not..." Rose said, narrowing her eyes with determination. "HEY!" She then shouted as she took off jogging toward the two women. As Rose got closer to them, the two women stopped and slowly turned around, just as Rose slowed down and stopped in front of them, looking into the unreadable expression of the face that belonged to the woman who looked like Angela.

"Angela..." Rose's eyes widened. Staring at the woman as she blinked once, she realized that it was in fact Angela. "...It's you..."

"Rose..." Angela said slowly, just as she saw Joel stopping right in front of Rose, his eyes wide. "...Joel..." She added.

"How can you be here?" Joel asked.

"So..." With a smile on her face, Katy turned her head to the side to look at Angela, who could not take her eyes off of her two former teammates. "...This is Rose?"

"You know me?" Rose asked.

"Your sister does..." Katy's smile only widened as she turned her head back to normal. "...You know, you look just like her..."

"My sister knows you?" Rose asked, her eyes widening even more.

"...So does your husband..." Katy's smile faded.

"Wh...?" Rose started, but before she could finish, Katy grunted as she lunged for Rose, slamming into Rose, making her grunt as she was thrown back, grunting again as her back collided against the floor.

Turning around, Joel watched as several shoppers stopped in their tracks as they watched Rose and Katy struggle on the floor. "Dragon up!" Joel yelled, his human form being consumed in a bright light. As soon as the light faded, he flapped his wings and hovered in the air as several shoppers from behind shrieked in terror. With a grunt, Joel flew toward Rose and Katy.

"Get...off..." Rose grunted as she put her hands on the Huldra's shoulders, trying to push her off.

"Not a chance..." Katy said as she wrapped her fingers around Rose's neck. "...Don't worry. I won't kill-ughh!" However, before she could finished, she grunted as she was thrown off of Rose as the shoppers who watched screamed in fear, a flash of Peridot ramming into her.

Now free, Rose turned her head to the side to see Joel grunt as he hit the floor on his side. Turning her head up, Rose gasped as she saw that Angela was now standing right at her feet, offering her her hand. Slowly, Rose reached up and took the hand, grunting as she slowly sat up. Releasing Rose's hand, Angela then took a step back as Rose pushed herself up onto her feet.

"Angela..."

"Hi, Rose..." Angela gave her a small, sad smile.

"You're alive!" Rose exclaimed

Meanwhile, Joel grunted as he got to his feet, Katy already standing up to face him. Narrowing his eyes as he stared at the Huldra, he growled. "What are you doing?" He demanded with a low growl, clenching his fists.

"Just run along now, dragon..." Katy smiled. "...I want nothing from you. Rose is the only thing I'm after..."

"Well, you can't have her!" Joel growled as he took a step toward Katy. "She's mine..."

"Right!" Katy laughed, taking a step back. "She belongs to you? Is your name on her scaly hide?"

"It doesn't need to be..." Joel smiled confidently. Then, his smile faded and he grunted as he ran toward the Huldra. At the same time, Katy's amused smile faded as she also started to charge. As soon as the two met, Katy grunted as she tried to throw a punch, but Joel was able to take a step back, avoiding it as he lashed out with his tail, wrapping it around Katy's waist, making the Huldra gasp as he lifted her off of her feet.

"Hey! Hey!" She shouted, looking down at the tail that trapped her, also bringing her hands down to the tail.

Frowning, Joel flapped his wings, lifting him off of the air and allowing him to hover in the air just as Katy grunted, giving up on struggling and looking up at the dragon that held her captive. "I've lost my patience..." Joel told her darkly and softly.

"With me?" Katy asked, giving him a small, defiant smile.

"With everything..." Joel replied. Then, without blinking, he flung the Huldra backwards. Screaming, Katy flailed her arms and legs as she flew back, crashing into and shattering the window of a store. As Katy fell to the ground, shrieks of terror came from inside the store.

Lowering himself to the ground, Joel reverted to his human form in a bright light. As soon as the light faded, he turned to the side to see several terrified shoppers, frozen as they just stared at him. Turning all the way around, Joel started to walk over to Rose and Angela, who were facing each other, only to both turn to the side as Joel stopped in front of them.

Smiling as he crossed his arms, Joel said: "Took care of her. I don't think she'll be bothering us anymore."

"Hey, you!" The sound of a deep, commanding voice made Joel's eyes suddenly widen. Joel quickly turned to the side as Rose quickly spun around, both of them seeing a uniformed mall cop walking toward them.

"Yes, sir?" Joel asked as Angela stepped up to Rose's side.

"What the hell was that?" The cop demanded, pointing over to the broken window.

"Self defense." Joel told him. "She attacked my friend..." As he said this, he reached up and put his hand on Rose's shoulder.

"Oh, I saw what happened..." The cop nodded as he crossed his arms. "...I saw a dragon attacking a woman and scaring a whole crowd of people." Then, seconds later as Joel, Rose and Angela stared at him, he added: "I want all three of you out of here within the next ten minutes. If not, I will place all three of you under arrest."

"Now, that's just discrimination." Joel told him, putting his hands on his hips. "For over three years now, dragons-"

"I'm not discriminating, sir." The cop said. "You caused property damage. Now, I saw what happened. Trust me, if that woman hadn't attacked first, you'd be in handcuffs right now..." He pointed at Joel. "...Ten minutes..." He finished as he lowered his hand. "...All three of you better be gone."

Then, the cop turned around and started to walk toward the frightened shoppers. "It's okay!" He told them with a booming voice. "The problem has been dealt with! You can all return to your business!"

LINE BREAK

The sliding doors of the mall slid open, allowing Joel, Rose and Angela to all walk out into the sidewalk. "So, did you kill her, Joel?" Angela asked, putting her hands into the pockets of her leather jacket.

"How am I supposed to know?" Joel replied.

"Who was she?" Rose asked as she turned her head to the side to look at Angela. "And how did you get to be with her?"

"It's a long story, Rose..." Angela said.

"So you have any place to stay?" Rose asked.

"No." Angela answered. After she said this, Rose turned her head back to normal, and after a few seconds, a smile appeared on her face.

"Yes..." She said. "...Yes you do." She then turned her head to the side. "You do."

BLACKOUT; COMMERCIAL BREAK

BACK TO THE STORY/SHOW

Lista sat in her human form against the wall outside her room, her earphones in her ears. Her eyes were closed and she had a relaxed smile on her face as she listened to her music. However, she opened her eyes and her smile faded as two feet stopped right in front of her.

Looking up, Lista could see Savannah looking down on her. "What?" Lista asked as she brought her hands up and pulled the earphones out of her ears.

"Have you seen Rose?" Savannah asked. "I haven't seen her all day. Come to think of it..." She added as she put her hand under her chin. "...I haven't seen Joel, either..."

"I haven't seen either of them." Lista answered.

"Alright..." Savannah said, keeping her head lowered as she took a step back. She then lifted her head up as she added: "...Thanks for being honest..." Savannah then turned and started to walk away. Watching as Savannah left, Lista blinked three times in surprise before she slowly put her earphones back into her ears.

LINE BREAK

With a ding, the watery doors of the elevator slid open and Rose exited, still in her dragon form. Stopping and turning around, she watched as Joel walked out, followed by Angela, both in their dragon forms. "Okay..." Rose said as the two dragons stopped right in front of her. "...Joel, take Angela to my room. I'm going to go find Savannah..."

LINE BREAK

The door to Rose's room was pushed open and Joel stepped inside. Stopping after taking five steps inside, he smiled as he reverted to his human form. As soon as the bright light faded, Joel turned around to see Angela, still in dragon form, slowly walking into the room.

"Go sit on the bed..." Joel told her.

Nodding, Angela slowly started to walk over to the bed. She passed by Joel, who turned around, just in time to see Angela reach the bed. In a bright light, Angela reverted to her human form. Then, she turned around and sat down on the bed.

"Okay, just stay there." Joel said. "I'll be outside." He then turned around and started to walk toward the door. Blinking once, Angela watched as Joel left the room.

As soon as she was alone in the room, Angela opened her mouth: "They think I made it out of the Underworld..." She whispered to herself. Then, she sighed as she lowered her head. "...How am I going to tell them?"

LINE BREAK

"Savannah?" In her dragon form, Rose stood outside of Savannah's room. "Savannah?" She called again. However, she still got no answer.

Taking a step back, Rose just blinked as she stared at the door. Then, she sighed as she turned to the side. "I guess this is going to take longer than I thought..."

However, as she spoke, Savannah turned around the corner and started to walk toward her door, only to freeze as she saw Rose, both of the women locking eyes. "Rose." Savannah smiled slightly. "I've been looking for you."

"You have?" Rose asked, a little surprised by this. However, she quickly recovered from this. "Well...I've been looking for you, too."

"You have?" Savannah seemed surprised. "Were you...Were you even here at all today? I asked pretty much everyone on this team if they had seen you. They all told me that they hadn't seen you or Joel..."

"Well, Joel and I weren't here." Rose answered. "Joel and I spent most of the morning searching."

"For the killer or killers?" Savannah guessed, smiling as she put her hands on her hips.

"Yeah..." Rose nervously reached behind her shoulder and used her claws to rub the back of her neck. "...I suppose I should have told you...Sorry..."

"You're right..." Savannah said as she crossed her arms, still smiling. "...You should have told me. But...you are an adult and you are in charge of yourself, even though I am your superior..."

"Glad you're not mad at me..." Rose smiled cheerfully as she lowered her arm to her side. "...And I haven't told you the best part..." She added as she started to walk over to Savannah. As she reached Savannah, the younger woman stared with a look of confusion as Rose reverted to her human form in a bright light.

As soon as the light consuming Rose vanished, Savannah shook her head slowly. "Rose..." She said. "...I'm afraid I don't understand..."

"The best part..." Rose smiled again as she put her hands on both of Savannah's shoulders. "...Is that we found-"

"You found the killer?!" Savannah's eyes widened as she cut Rose off, making the older woman's smile vanish. Smiling herself, Savannah continued: "Rose, this is great! How many were there? One? Two? Three? Five?" However, when she saw the smile gone from Rose's expression, her smile slowly started to fade as well.

"Rose?" She continued. "You did catch the killer or killers, right?" Rose?"

"Savannah..." Rose said slowly, taking her hands off of Savannah's shoulders and dropping them at her own side. "...Just come with me..."

LINE BREAK

Back at the mall, Katy sat in a chair with her handcuffed wrists placed on her lap. With a cut on her forehead, she watched as the mall cop entered the room, a washcloth in his hands. Katy continued to watch as the cop reached her and knelt down so that he was staring her right in the eyes.

"Are you okay?" He asked as he brought up the washcloth to the Huldra's head. Once it touched Katy's forehead on the cut, the Huldra hissed in pain. "Yeah, it might sting a little bit..." The cop added as he wiped off the blood.

"It might?" Katy retorted angrily as the mall cop pulled the cloth away.

"Feel better?" The cop asked.

"Hmm, well..." Katy gave the cop her nicest and biggest smile. "...That all depends. Am I going to jail?"

"You attacked another woman..." The mall cop said. "...So, do you really need an answer?"

"I'd like one..." Katy still smiled as she spoke softly.

"Okay..." The mall cop told her as he stood back up, making the Huldra look up to look at his face as he looked down on her. "...Unless you can give me a good reason to not arrest you...yes..."

As the mall cop said this, he knelt back down, allowing the smiling Huldra to look back down. "Well..." She said. "...I don't think I'll be able to convince you with these things on..." She held up her cuffed wrists as she said this. However, she then moved them over to the mall cop and stroked his chin with her index finger.

Swallowing hard, the mall cop's eyes widened, just staring as the smiling seductress. "O...Okay..." He said, quickly reaching down to his belt and pulling off the keys. Without saying a word, the mall cop put the key into the lock and turned it.

Smiling, Katy looked down as the mall cop pulled away the cuffs after unlocking both of them. "Thanks..." Katy said, looking back up as she rubbed her wrists. "...Those things really hurt..." However, she quickly lowered her hands and slowly started to lean closer toward him, their lips finally meeting.

As the two loudly made out, Katy put one of her hands on the mall cop's shoulder while she lowered her other hand down to the mall cop's hand, where he held the cuffs. Satisfied, the mall cop closed his eyes as he continued to kiss the Huldra.

However, as he heard the sound of a clicking cuff, his eyes snapped open. In the blink of an eye, he grunted as he hit the floor on the stomach, Katy handcuffing his hands behind his back. Satisfied that the cop was secure, Katy slowly stood up. "You know, I like you..." She said as she looked down at him, the cop rolling over onto his back to look at her as she put her hands on her hips. "...Maybe I should save you for one of my sacrifices next year."

Hearing this, the mall cop just blinked in surprise. "Fortunately for you..." The Huldra continued. "...I have more important business to deal with." Looking up, the Huldra turned to the side and stepped over the defeated cop, walking toward the exit. "I have to find that dragon..."

LINE BREAK

"Rose, what is this all about?" Savannah asked as she and Rose reached Rose's room. Savannah could see Joel standing right beside the door, leaning against the wall. When Joel saw Savannah, he smiled as he walked away from the wall, walking toward his two teammates.

"Can you please tell me what's going on here?" Savannah asked as Joel stopped in front of them.

As he stared at Savannah, who frowned and put her hands on her hips, Joel smiled. "Why should we spoil the surprise?" He casually asked as he crossed his arms. However, he then slightly turned his head to the side to look at Rose. "You didn't tell her, did you?"

Rose didn't answer verbally. Instead, she just shook her head. Then, she smiled as she turned to the side and put her hand on Savannah's shoulder. "Go on inside my room, Savannah..." Rose said gently, lifting up her arm and pointing to her room, turning her head in its direction.

Sighing, Savannah looked down at her feet. Ten seconds later, she looked back up at Joel's smiling face. Turning her head to the side in Rose's direction as Rose took her hand off her shoulder, she said: "This better be good."

Savannah then turned her head back to normal. As she started to walk toward Rose's room, Joel kept his smile as he lowered his arms to his side and took a step to the side.

Seconds later, Savannah reached the room and kept walking, stepping into the dark room. Reaching over, Savannah flipped on the light-switch. Staring across the room, her eyes widened a second later and she gasped as she saw Angela sitting on the bed.

"An...Angela?" Savannah asked, clasping her hands together against her chest.

"Hey, Savannah..." Angela responded.

"It's..." Savannah stuttered as she slowly made her way toward the bed. "...It's..." Watching Savannah, Angela slowly stood up. "...It's not..." Savannah stopped right in front of her friend and teammate, her arms dangling at her sides. "...It's not possible..." Savannah breathed.

After five seconds of just staring at Angela, Savannah blinked as she lifted up her right arm, slowly putting it down on Angela's right shoulder. Blinking, Angela watched as Savannah's eyes widened.

"You're cold..." Savannah pointed out.

"I know." Was all Angela said, glancing to the side as Savannah pulled her hand off of her friend's shoulder. Staring straight ahead of her, she could see both Rose and Joel walking into the room, and she could also see tears of relief and happiness forming in Savannah's eyes.

"Angela..." Savannah croaked as the tears rolled down her cheeks. "...You're...You're back..."

BLACKOUT; COMMERCIAL BREAK

BACK TO THE STORY/SHOW

Night had fallen Mermaid City and Lista, Lexy, Maverick, Coen, Cherri, Gilda and Arkadi were all standing in front of the tables, their medallions around their necks as they stared at Joel, who was leaning against the wall next to the door, his arms crossed.

"What's going on?" Gilda asked as she crossed her arms.

"Where are Savannah and Rose?" Cherri asked in a concerned tone.

"Why don't you guys just all sit down?" Joel said, lowering his arms to his side. "Rose and Savannah are going to be here any second. They have a surprise for you..."

"Unless it's food, I really don't care..." Maverick stated as he crossed his arms.

"Well then, smart guy..." Joel said as he stepped away from the wall, putting his hands behind his back. "...How about you all sit down? Did it ever occur to you that the sooner you sit down, the sooner you will be able to eat?"

LINE BREAK

Outside, Angela was standing in-between Rose and Savannah as they all walked toward the dining hall. "I don't think this is a good idea..." Angela said as she turned her head to the side.

"Not a good idea?" Savannah asked, turning her head to the side. "The whole team has been heartbroken by your apparent death. I even told them you didn't make it. They'll be so happy to find out that you're alive."

"But..." Angela tried, but the three of them had already reached the dining hall. As Rose and Angela stopped, Angela turned her head back to normal as Savannah took two steps ahead of them and then turned around.

"Okay." Savannah said. "Here's the plan: Rose..." She pointed at the two women. "...You keep Angela out here..." She lowered her hand. "...As I go inside. As soon as I give the word, you bring Angela inside. Got it?"

"I understand." Rose said, putting her hand on Angela's shoulder.

Smiling and nodding, Savannah turned around and started to walk toward the door of the dining hall.

LINE BREAK

Back in the dining hall, all of the team members were still standing, just staring at Joel, who now had a nervous look on his face. "Where're Savannah and Rose, Joel?" Cherri asked, taking a step away from the rest of the group, only to freeze and gasp as she heard footsteps, Savannah stepping inside.

"Where have you been?" Cherri asked.

"Sorry to keep you all waiting." Savannah said, addressing the entire team. "I apologize if I worried any of you. However, I assure you all that I have my reasons." Then, after five seconds of just staring at the group, she slowly turned around and cupped her hands over her mouth: "Rose!" She shouted. "You can come in now!"

"Savannah, what's going on?" Lexy asked as Savannah turned back around, her smile only widening.

"You'll see..." Savannah said. She then turned to the side and walked over to Joel just as Rose walked into the room, alone.

"What the hell is this about?" Gilda asked with disgust, pointing at Rose. She then put her hands on her hips as she continued: "She's nothing to be excited abo-"

"Guys..." Rose cut Gilda off. "...Guess who's back..." She then took a step to the side as Angela slowly stepped into the room, garnering unified gasps from every single remaining member of the team.

LINE BREAK

Not knowing what else to do, Angela just sat on the end of the table as the rest of the team sat in their normal places at the table. They were all staring at her, Rose and Savannah having smiles on their faces.

"You told us that she was dead, Savannah..." There was not anger in Cherri's voice as she looked at Savannah.

"I thought she was, Cherri..." Savannah looked at Cherri in response. "...I saw her fall. I thought that there was no way that she could survive."

"How did you find out?" Arkadi asked in his Russian accent, looking at Savannah as well.

"Rose told me." Savannah said honestly. "Ask Rose. She and Joel found him."

"Yeah..." Joel added. "Ask Rose about this one..." He smiled as he put his arm in the table. "...I had no idea what the heck was going on. It was all Rose..."

With all eyes on her, Rose's smile faded and she took a deep breath as she opened her mouth: "It was weird." She told them. "Joel and I went to get lunch after a morning of searching for whoever killed my parents. We went to a restaurant at the mall and as I looked out, I was surprised to see someone who looked like Angela with another woman. I chased them down and sure enough..." She shrugged her shoulders. "...It was Angela."

"Who was this other woman?" Cherri asked.

"I don't think it matters." Joel smiled. "I took care of her after she charged right at Rose."

"But why?" Lista asked, turning her head to the side to look Angela in the eye. "If you survived, why didn't you come back here? We all thought you were dead. You're like a part of our family and you faked your death while we all thought we lost one of our own? Why?"

"Lista..." Angela tried.

"Were you tired of this kind of life?" Lista asked, a hint of hurt in her tone.

"Lista, it's hard to explain..." Angela said, setting her hands down at the side of the table. "...I would never abandon this team of my own choice."

"Then why didn't you come back?" Rose asked as she turned her head to the side. "And how did you get out of the Underworld?"

"I..." Angela tried. "...I...I..." With every member of the team's eyes on her, she found that she could not form any words. "I...I...I..." She tried. Finally, Angela just closed her eyes and scooted her chair back, standing up. "...Excuse me..." She said as she turned and walked around the table.

Savannah could only turn her head to the side and watch as Angela walked out the door and into the night.

LINE BREAK

In her human form, Angela sat against the watery elevator doors. Hugging her knees, she pressed them to her stomach and chest as had her head lowered. "Hey..." The sound of Savannah's voice made Angela gasp and lift her head up. She could see Savannah walking up toward her.

Angela said nothing. She just blinked once until Savannah reached her and then sat down on her knees. "Mind if I sit here with you?" Savannah asked.

"Of course not." Was Angela's answer.

"Rose and I saw you fall..." Savannah said softly, almost like a pained whisper. "...Into that river..."

"The River Styx." Angela told her. "And I did fall."

"How..." Savannah pressed. "...How is it possible that you survived that? How did you get out?"

"Savannah..." Angela's expression darkened immediately. "...Please. I don't want to talk about it."

Although surprised at first, her eyes wide enough to show Angela just how surprised she was, Savannah eventually nodded in understanding. "Okay..." She said. "...It's just, we are all so happy that you made it out okay and now you're back with us..." She smiled at her friend and teammate as she finished saying this.

Hearing this, Angela sighed. "Yeah..." She said glumly, making Savannah's smile fade, her eyes widening as Angela grunted, getting to her feet.

"What's wrong?" Savannah asked as she looked up.

"I need to be alone right now, Savannah..." Angela said as she looked down on her old friend.

LINE BREAK

With her arms behind her back, Angela sighed as she walked alone on the grass. "Why?" She said to herself. "Why did this have to happen? Why..." She continued as she brought her hands back out from around her back and clenched her fists as she held them up to her chest. "...Why did my life have to end this way?"

She was getting closer to the residential spaces, and with a sigh, she lowered her arms to her side as she continued, passing by an open door to a room. However, as she heard the hushed sound of Coen's voice, she froze.

"So, no blood?"

Turning to the side, Angela stared into the room, where she could see Coen sitting in his chair at his desk. His chair was turned to the side so he could talk to Joel, who was facing him.

"No..." Joel replied in an angry tone. "...Before I could cut her with my tail, the bimbo got up because she thought she saw Angela!"

Shocked at what she was hearing, with wide eyes, Angela stepped to the side so that she was out of sight, but then she poked her head into view by bending to the side.

"I did everything you told me to do!" Joel continued. "I got her all worn out and then I took her to a busy place so no one would see me and she wouldn't know what had happened. It didn't work out!"

"Because of Angela?" Coen managed.

"Most likely..." Joel agreed as he put his hands on his hips. "...I need her blood, Coen." He said as he clenched his fists and held them up to Coen's face, making his accomplice push his back further into the chair. "I need Rose's blood." Joel clarified to himself as he lowered his arms to the side. "Without it, I can never achieve my goal!"

Her eyes wide with horror, Angela slowly straightened back up. Slowly taking three steps back, Angela then turned around and ran off.

Back in Coen's room, Joel turned to face the door, oblivious to the fact that Angela had just heard him. "I'm tired of waiting, Coen." He said in a tired voice. Turning back around, he watched as Coen turned to the side in his chair.

"But..." Joel said, crossing his arms. "...I'm not giving up." Then, after about ten seconds, he spoke again as he lowered his arms: "So...got any new plans?"

LINE BREAK

Angela didn't stop running until she reached Rose's room. As she stopped at the room, she found that the door was closed. Without thinking, Angela took another step and reached out, grabbing the knob and turning it, only to find that it was locked.

"No!" Angela cursed, clenching her fists and jerking them to her sides. "Rose!" She shouted. "Rose! I need to talk with you!"

After ten seconds of getting no response, Angela moaned as she lifted up one of her fists and knocked four times on the door. "Rose!" She shouted. "Rose!" Giving four more knocks, she took a step back and waited for another fifteen seconds.

After the fifteen seconds was up, Angela's eyes were wide. "Rose..." She tried again, but this time it came out much softer. Lowering her head in failure, it dawned on her. Rose was asleep or just not inside. She couldn't hear her.

BLACKOUT; END

**A/N: Please review. **


	5. Chapter 5

Future Dragon: Rose Long (Season Four)

Chapter/Episode 5: Tail in the Back

Pushing open the door to her room, Katy stepped into her room, staring at her cauldron, which was on the other side of the room. Smiling as she walked toward it, Katy eventually arrived and looked down into the cauldron. "Master..." She said.

Within seconds, the potion inside the cauldron started to bubble. Then, the head of Mrs. Jenkins emerged from the cauldron and looked up. "There you are..." Mrs. Jenkins said.

"Master, I've lost the dragon..." Katy said. "...I took her to the mall..." As she explained, she looked up, turned around and started to walk down the room. "...And I did get her cleaned up. The best part..." She smiled as she stopped in her tracks, slowly turning around and crossing her arms. "...Is that we ran into Rose. She was with a friend..." She frowned, clenching her fists as she lowered her arms to her sides. "...He rendered me uncon-"

"I know..." Mrs. Jenkins cut her off as she rose up in the cauldron slightly so that her chest was sticking out of the cauldron. "...I am the ruler of the Underworld, after all..."

"Then can you tell me where she is?" Katy asked as she started to walk over to the cauldron.

"Of course..." Mrs. Jenkins said, smiling. "...She's where she needs to be. She's with Rose..."

"She is?"

"Yes." Mrs. Jenkins replied. "Which means that your job is done for now. Our little dragon friend will do the rest."

"Then is that all you need me for?" Katy asked as she put her hands on her hips.

"For now, yes..." Mrs. Jenkins answered. "...However, I will need you later on. I think it is-"

"What are you going to need me later on for?" Katy asked, walking closer toward the cauldron, only stopping once she reached it.

"Katy..." Mrs. Jenkins smiled. "...I just think it will be a lot smoother if you are down here to help..."

LINE BREAK

In the Underworld, a group of five hunched over minions lined up in a half-circle, all trying to lift their heads up as they watched Mrs. Jenkins and Katy walking toward the River Styx.

"Everything is going smoothly..." Mrs. Jenkins told Katy as they walked. "...My dragon is with Rose. She has no choice but to lead Rose Long right to me."

"And then you're going to tell her who killed her parents?" Katy asked, turning her head to the side.

"That's right..." Mrs. Jenkins smiled.

"But you want her soul." Katy said as she turned her head back to normal, the two stopping right at the River Styx. "Why don't you just kill her here and take her soul for yourself?"

"Because..." A cruel smile appeared on Mrs. Jenkins' face. "...I love to murder, but corrupting the good at heart is so much more rewarding..."

LINE BREAK

Morning had arrived at Mermaid City. Angela was sitting right outside Rose's room, right beside the door. Her head wasn't even lowered despite staying awake all night; she wasn't even tired. She just stared straight ahead, only to turn her head to the side when she heard the door to Rose's opening.

Angela could see Rose, dressed in a T-shirt and running shorts, stepping out of the room. "Rose..." Angela called, climbing to her feet quickly, making Rose turn to the side as Angela slowly started to walk toward her.

"Oh, hey." Rose smiled.

"Rose, can I talk to you?" Angela asked as she stopped in front of her.

"About what?" Rose asked, her smile slowly fading. "And can it wait?" As she asked this, she slowly turned back to the side. "I kind of have plans..."

"Plans?" Angela asked, her eyes widening a little bit. "What plans?"

"I'm going for a run." Rose smiled again as she turned her head to the side.

"Getting back into shape?" Angela asked softly, hugging herself as she wrapped her arms around her stomach. "Well, I guess that explains why you are more mobile now..."

"Yeah..." Rose replied slowly as she turned her head back to normal, Angela dropping her arms to her side as she turned to the side, standing shoulder-to-shoulder to Rose. "...This is the best I've felt in over a year."

"Well, how long are you going to be?" Angela asked. "What I need to tell you is really important."

"I won't be too long..." Rose promised, turning to the side, smiling in an assuring manner, making Angela turn her head to the side in response. "...But I need to do this. You can wait for about a half an hour. Right?"

"I suppose..."

"Okay..." Rose smiled again as she turned her head back to normal, starting to walk off. Slowly, Angela turned her head back to normal as she watched Rose leave.

LINE BREAK

Slowly, Angela stepped into the dining hall, where she was surprised to see Savannah sitting in her normal spot at the table in her human form, her chin in her hand. "Savannah?" Angela asked as she took another step into the room, making Savannah look up and turn her head to the side, only to smile with pleasant surprise.

"Angela, what are you doing here already?" She asked. Then, as Angela simply said nothing, just walking closer to the table, Savannah smiled. "Hungry?"

"No." Angela answered as she finally reached the table.

"Then why else would you be here?" Savannah asked as she put her arm on the side of the table. "Breakfast isn't for about another half an hour."

"I was just coming in here to spend some time with myself..." Angela answered truthfully. "...I've got a lot on my mind right now..."

"Want to talk about it?" Savannah asked after a five second pause.

"...It mostly has to do with Rose..." Angela replied. "...But, she wasn't really willing to hear about it. Maybe you could tell Rose. Maybe she'd be more willing to listen to you."

"Don't sell yourself short, Angela." Savannah shook her head once. "Rose will listen to you. She isn't rude. This time is just her normal exercise time."

"That's what she told me."

"See?" Savannah smiled. "It's not that she refuses to give you the time of day, it's just that it wasn't the best time for her. She will give it to you later."

Nodding slowly in understanding, Angela waited for Savannah to speak again. Finally, Savannah did. "Do you mind if I ask what happened to your medallion?" She asked.

"Huh?" Angela asked, almost as if she didn't understand what was being asked of her. However, she looked down to her chest and realized that she no longer wore her medallion. Looking back up at her friend, she just stared for a few seconds before she opened her mouth and answered: "I lost it when I fell." She answered.

"I can ask Lono to get you a new one." Savannah offered.

"You don't have to do that, Savannah." Angela said in a soft, solemn tone.

"Is whatever you need to tell Rose plaguing you?" Savannah asked, leaning closer toward her standing friend. "Would it make you feel better if you ran it by me?"

Savannah could hear Angela sigh, her friend looking down at the floor. "I guess..." Angela finally answered as she lifted her head back up. "...Here it goes: After I left last night, I-" However, before she could continue, she stopped mid-sentence and her eyes widened as she heard the sound of a creaking floorboard.

Whirling around, Angela gasped as she saw Joel walking into the dining hall in his human form, his medallion dangling from around his neck. Joel stopped after taking only two steps further into the room. Staring right at Angela's face, the two made eye contact.

BLACKOUT; COMMERCIAL

BACK TO THE STORY/SHOW

However, Joel quickly broke eye contact, smiling as he continued to walk further into the room. "Good morning..." He said cheerfully.

"It seems that there's some kind of force pulling all my team members a little too early..." Savannah smiled, musing as Angela turned around, Angela watching as Joel sat down at the table. "...Seriously, Joel..." Savannah added as she stared at Joel. "...What are you doing here so early?"

"I'm hungry..." Joel smiled at her.

"You'll still have to wait." Savannah said as she turned her head back to Angela. "Sorry about that." She apologized. "Continue."

Angela stared at Savannah for a few seconds before she finally answered: "It's okay." She said. "I'll just wait and tell Rose after breakfast."

LINE BREAK

A short time later, Angela sat silently in Lono's chair while everyone else, with their medallions around their necks, sat in their spots and at their breakfast.

Silently setting down her fork and knife, Lista slowly climbed up from over the bench, turned to the side and started to walk to Angela, turning as she reached the chair, making Angela look up after turning her head to the side.

Smiling at her friend, Lista started to open her mouth, but before she could form any words, Rose turned her head to the side and spoke to Angela: "Angela, what did you want to tell me this morning?"

"Rose, I was going to-" Lista started, turning her head to the side to acknowledge Rose, only to stop as Angela turned her head to the side and spoke up.

"It's okay, Lista." Angela said softly, making the cut-off Lista turn her head back to normal, showing Angela just how wide her eyes were. "This is important." Then, Angela turned her head back to normal and acknowledged Rose, only to find that the entire team was looking at her.

"Does this apply to us as a whole?" Arkadi asked in his Russian accent.

"No..." Angela said. "...Rose, I'll tell you after breakfast. It's private..."

LINE BREAK

Stepping out of the dining hall, Angela was stuck in-between Cherri and Gilda, who quickly passed her, Gilda followed by Arkadi. Angela looked around the area, but could not see Rose anywhere in front of her.

"Angela..." The sound of Lista's voice made Angela's eyes widen and she turned around to see Lista stepping out of the dining hall. However, with Angela's attention being re-directed, Angela could also see Rose standing against the wall of the building beside the door. "...Angela..." Lista repeated, making Angela switch her attention to Lista.

"Yeah?"

"Can I talk to you now?" Lista asked.

"Sure." Angela said, taking a step back and wrapping her arms around her stomach.

"Because I thought you were dead..." Lista began, a hint of shame in her tone. "...I consulted Rose..." Unbeknownst to Lista, Rose stepped away from the wall as she said this and started to walk toward her. "...And I decided that it would be best if I kept your Bible safe. Now that I know that you're alive..." As she said this, Rose stopped at the side of her. "...I want you to take it back..." Lista finished, either completely unaware that Rose had stopped at her side, or she just didn't care.

Noticing Rose, Angela quickly responded to Lista. "It's okay." She said, making Lista's eyes widen. "I want you to have it..." Angela gave Lista a small smile.

"Really?" Lista asked in a small, disbelieving voice.

"Yeah." Angela told her. "I want you to have it. Besides me, you're the only one who will treat it with care. I really think you should have it."

"Well, okay..." Lista said as she took a small step back. "...That's...really all I wanted to talk to you about..."

"Then do you mind if I talk to Rose now?" Angela asked, lifting up her arm so she could indicate Rose, who put her arms behind her back. "It's very important."

"Sure..." Lista said, her tone of voice hardening and returning to normal. "...Just if you ever change your mind..." She added as she turned to the side and started to walk backwards, making Angela turn her head to the side. "...About the Bible...tell me..."

"I won't..." Angela said, just loud enough for Lista to hear. Then, she turned her head back to normal as Rose stepped to side, her arms still behind her back.

"So, what did you want to tell me?" Rose asked. Rose then dropped her arms to her side and stepped over to Angela, turning around so that she was standing side-by-side to her friend.

"This could sound pretty absurd to you, Rose..." Angela started. "...But this is what I heard. It's one hundred percent true." Turning her head to the side, she asked: "No matter how stupid you think this sounds, can you please trust me?"

"What is this about, Angela?" Rose asked, turning her head to the side.

"It's about Joel..." Angela said darkly.

"What's about me?" The sound of Joel's voice suddenly made Angela gasp and widen her eyes. Both Angela and Rose turned their heads back to normal to see Joel slowly walking out of the dining hall, a curious look on his face. "Have I done something?" He asked.

Rose turned her head to the side, only to see that Angela's face was filled with shock, her wide eyes showing distrust. "Never mind, Rose..." Angela said, turning her head to the side to look at her.

"Never...?" Rose's eyes widened in shock. "...Never mind?!"

"Yeah..." Angela replied, turning her head back to normal to look at Joel.

"Angela..." Rose tried to say. "...You've been trying to talk to me since yesterday, and now that you finally have my attention, you're saying that it doesn't matter?"

"Not here, Rose..." Angela whispered quickly. Then, she turned around and started to walk away, leaving Rose to turn around and watch her leave. With Rose's back to him, Joel allowed his suspicion to show on his face.

"Hmm..."

LINE BREAK

In his room, Coen sat at his desk with his old laptop. "Come on..." He managed in a whisper as he clicked on another page. However, just as the page finished loading, Coen's eyes widened as he heard the sound of the floor creaking behind him.

"Coen..." He could hear the sound of Joel's voice.

Quickly, Coen gasped before he quickly reached over and closed his laptop. He then spun around in his chair and saw Joel leaning against the doorframe, his arms crossed.

"I don't-" Coen started, but he stopped as he watched Joel straighten up and start to walk toward him.

"You don't have any ideas?" Joel asked as he stopped in front of his accomplice.

"No."

"Well, for now..." Joel crossed his arms. "...That's okay..."

"It is?" Coen managed.

"...Here's the thing..." Joel said as he lowered his arms to his side, lifting them up and putting his hands on his hips. "...Angela is acting weird..."

"So?" Coen asked, shrugging his shoulders.

"...Around me..." Joel continued. "...Every time I come near her, she gets very nervous. She just...stops talking. And she's trying to tell Rose something..." Joel stopped in his tracks, putting his hand on his chin in thought before he continued: "Something might be up with her..."

"Don't tell me..." Coen managed before he was forced to stop talking.

"Why yes, Coen..." Joel grinned as he lowered his hand from his chin. "...I do. I want you to spy on Angela."

"It's just you..." Coen tried.

"Or..." Joel narrowed his eyes. "...She could be on to me..."

LINE BREAK

In her room, Rose set her work out clothes on her bed. Now wearing her normal clothes, Rose turned around as she heard the sound of the door to her room creaking as it opened. She could see Savannah stepping into her room in her human form.

"What's up?" Rose asked.

"Ready to go out and look for your parents' killer?" Savannah asked, a small smile on her face. However, her smile widened as she crossed her arms. "Or do you have better plans for today?"

"I don't at all..." Rose said as she took a step closer to Savannah. "...It would definitely give me something to do today..."

LINE BREAK

In his human form, Coen made his way toward Rose's room, turning around the corner, only to see Rose exiting the room, now wearing his medallion, followed by Savannah. The two women did not notice him and Savannah reached Rose's side; Coen turned his head to the side, watching as the two women walked off.

LINE BREAK

In her human form, Angela was pacing back and forth by the elevators, her arms behind her back. "How am I going to tell her?" She asked herself as she had her lead lowered so that she was watching her feet. "...She has to know..."

After saying this, she lifted her head up slightly and turned around. However, just as she started to walk, she turned her head to the side when she heard the sound of Rose's voice: "Angela?"

Angela could see both Rose and Savannah stopping about a foot in front of her. Smiling with relief, Angela turned to the side. "Rose, I'm happy to see you..." She said.

"Angela, do you mind moving away from the elevator?" Savannah asked, just as Rose started to open her mouth, cutting the older woman off.

"You're going somewhere?"

"To look for the killer of Rose's parents..." Savannah said, putting her hand on Rose's shoulder.

"Can I...?" Angela asked, taking a step toward the two of them. "...Can I at least talk to Rose first?"

"Now?" Rose asked, her eyes widening as Savannah slowly took her hand off of her shoulder. "Angela, you had your chance to talk to me earlier today."

Unbeknownst to Rose, after she finished saying this, Coen walked up and slowly stopped several feet away. In a bright light, both of dragon ears appeared, allowing him to hear the conversation in front of him.

"You picked a really bad time." Rose finished.

"Look, I'm really sorry for that..." Angela explained as she took another step toward Rose and Savannah. "...But it wasn't a good time. Now, it is a good time."

"No, Angela..." Savannah said softly. "...It really isn't. Rose and I should get going..." She put her hands on her hips. "...That way, we'll be able to get more of our search done."

"But this is really important..." Angela tried to say, clasping her hands together and holding them up to her chest, almost as if she was praying.

"Tell you what..." Savannah said as she put her hand back on Rose's shoulder. "...Rose will give you the time to talk to her...after we get back..."

Her eyes wide, Angela stepped to the side quickly and turned around, watching as Rose and Savannah made their way to the elevator. "But I..." Angela said softly. "...Need to tell Rose. I need to warn her about Joel..."

Upon this moment, Coen's ear twitched and his eyes widened as he picked this up. "Joel was right..." He whispered.

BLACKOUT; COMMERCIAL

BACK TO THE STORY/SHOW

Back in Coen's room, Joel was sitting on his accomplice's bed with his arms crossed, staring at the closed door. Soon, it opened and Joel slowly sat up, lowering his arms to his side as Coen walked into the room.

"Well?" Joel asked, raising an eyebrow. "You weren't gone for very long..."

"No need to..." Coen said as he closed the door behind him with his foot.

"What did you find out?" Joel asked as he started to walk toward his accomplice. Stopping in front of Coen, Joel put his hands on his hips.

"She knows..." Coen confirmed.

"She knows...what?" Joel asked, lifting his arms up and crossing them.

"She..." Coen started to say, opening his mouth. However, he stopped himself before he could say anything else, instead walking closer toward Joel, who turned to the side and took a step back as Coen walked over to his desk.

Reaching down, Coen picked up his laptop and then set it down a few inches to the side of the few pieces of paper that was under it. Crossing his arms, Joel turned to the side, watching as Coen sat down at his chair. Picking up a pen, Coen started to write something down.

Sighing, Joel took a step back, rolling his eyes. "Can't you just tell me in like...five words or something?" He asked.

About ten seconds later, Joel watched as Coen set down the pen and picked up the piece of paper in both of his hands. Then, he spun around the chair, holding up the piece of paper as Joel sighed, lowering his arms to his side before he started to walk toward the chair that his accomplice was sitting in.

Reaching Coen, Joel looked at the paper and read aloud: "She's trying to warn Rose about you." Upon reading this, Joel's eyes widened, but then he quickly narrowed them. "You think she knows about my plans?"

"It appears so..." Coen managed, lowering the piece of paper.

"Well..." Joel said as he crossed his arms. "...I certainly hope that you aren't wrong about this. Because now I have no choice but to deal with her..."

LINE BREAK

Panting, Rose lowered herself down onto the ledge of the Empire State Building. Ceasing the flapping of her wings, Rose reverted to her human form in a bright light. As soon as the light faded, Rose looked out into the distance as Savannah lowered herself in the air, flapping her wings as she hovered in the air in front of Rose.

"Taking a breather?" Savannah asked.

"Savannah..." Rose started. "...Can I ask you a question?" With this, she revealed her intention to completely ignore the question that Savannah had presented her with.

"Sure..." Savannah answered. "...What's on your mind?"

"Has it ever occurred to you..." Rose began, taking a deep breath before she finished her question. "...That just flying around New York isn't going to do any good?"

"What do you mean?"

"How are we going to find the killer of my parents just by flying around the city?" Rose repeated, setting her palms down on the roof beside her. "We have no leads, no nothing. This is just a wild goose chase. Joel did this with me just yesterday..."

"This is going to take as long as it takes, Rose." Savannah said softly. "And that's what will make us look even more impressive. We don't have any leads, but we will keep looking until we find the culprit." She smiled as she finished saying this.

LINE BREAK

Slowly walking around the edge of the building that was Rose's room, Joel was just a couple of inches away from Rose's door. Taking a deep breath, Joel started to walk toward it, just as the door opened, Angela stepping out in her dragon form.

Stopping dead in his tracks, Joel smiled cruelly. "Angela!" He said, making Angela turn her head to the side with wide eyes. "Just who I've been looking for..."

LINE BREAK

Back on the Empire State Building, Rose sighed as she lowered her head. "Don't worry, Rose..." Savannah smiled. "...We'll find them..."

After Savannah said this, Rose lifted up her head, showing Savannah her concern-ridden face. Slowly, Savannah's smile faded. "This isn't what's bothering you, Rose...is it?" She asked.

"It's Angela..." Rose said after only a second or two. "...She's been wanting to talk to me since last night. She's not giving up. It must be important."

Blinking once, Savannah looked down slightly and slightly turned her head to the side as she continued to flap her wings, thinking. Slowly, she then turned her head back to normal after only five seconds, the two women making eye contact.

"Do you want to go back?" Savannah asked.

LINE BREAK

In the Underworld, Mrs. Jenkins was standing over the ledge that would lead her down to the River Styx, her eyes closed and her arms behind her back. As such, she was completely oblivious to Katy walking up from behind her.

"Master?" Katy asked as she stopped a few inches behind Mrs. Jenkins.

Upon hearing her, Mrs. Jenkins opened her eyes and slowly turned her head to the side. "I can sense Rose Long..." Mrs. Jenkins said.

"Well, that's good..."

"Wrong..." Mrs. Jenkins said as she turned around. "...Because my little dragon friend is not with her..."

"What?" Katy asked, her eyes widening.

"Rose Long is not with my dragon..." Mrs. Jenkins repeated. "...She's with the other dragon who was offered to me."

LINE BREAK

"You..." Back at Mermaid City, Angela took a step back, putting a clawed hand to her chest. "...You...You...You were looking for me?"

"Absolutely." Joel smiled at her.

"Why?" Angela asked, lowering her hand from her chest.

"Because I need to talk to you..." Joel said, his smile widening even more.

"About what?" Angela asked.

"Heh..." Joel took a step back, putting his hands into the pockets of his pants. "...You'll just have to come with me to find out, now won't you?"

Watching Joel turn around, Angela's eyes filled with worry. Swallowing hard, Angela took one step toward the leaving Joel, who turned around the corner and walked out of sight, not even bothering to look back after Angela.

Swallowing again, Angela started to follow him.

LINE BREAK

Back in Coen's room, Coen sat in his chair, his eyes widening as the door to his room opened, Joel stepping inside. "She's following me." He said with a smile as he continued to walk toward the chair that Coen was sitting in. As soon as he reached Coen's side, Joel turned around and continued to smile, crossing his arms as he watched the doorway.

Seconds later, he could see Angela, still in dragon form, coming into view. Hearing the sound of the chair that Coen was sitting in spinning around, Joel turned to the side to see Coen leaning over his desk, writing something on a piece of paper. As soon as Coen was finished, he turned to the side in his chair and held up the piece of paper, allowing Joel to read it: _**How are you going to deal with her?**_

"Joel?"

However, the sound of Angela's voice made Joel smile and turn back to normal to see Angela, still in dragon form, walking into the room.

"Good..." Joel clasped his hands together, rubbing his palms together. "...I'm glad that you took up my invitation..."

"What is this about?" She asked.

"Close the door." Joel said, his smile slowly fading as he lowered his hands to his sides.

Nodding once, Angela slowly turned around and closed the door. As soon as the door clicked closed, Angela slowly turned back around, staring at her two teammates. "Wha...?" She began.

"Come closer..." Joel said, his smile coming back as he started to walk away from Coen, walking into the middle of the room.

Blinking once, Angela slowly started to walk to the center of the room. Finally, she stopped right in front of the still human Joel, who looked up at her. "Hmm..." He said, still smiling. "...Maybe we should be at the same level..."

Her eyes widening, Angela gasped and took a step back as a bright light engulfed Joel, and when the light faded, he was in his dragon form. "...Much better." He said, his smile only widening.

"What is this about?" Angela asked.

"Well, Angela..." Joel's smile faded completely as he looked down at his claws. "...You were acting weird around me..."

Hearing this, Angela's eyes widened and she gulped with worry.

"...So I sent Coen to spy on you..." Joel looked up at Angela without lowering his clawed hand. "...And he told me that you know about my intentions. Is...Is that true?" As he asked this, a small, cruel smile crossed his face.

"Yes." Angela said in a near whisper.

"So, you know that I want her blood?" Joel raised an eyebrow. "And that I won't stop until I get it?"

"Yes."

"And you're trying to warn her?"

"Of course!" Angela raised her voice to her normal tone, her eyes narrowing as she clenched both of her clawed fists.

"Now, why would you go and do something like that?" Joel asked with mocked hurt, crossing his scaly arms. "I would expect that you would understand that I have no intention of hurting Rose..."

"Trying to steal blood is hurting her, Joel!" Angela insisted, raising the tone of her voice even more. "You're betraying her trust! You're putting your tail right through her back!"

Sighing, Joel lowered his arms to his side as he lowered his head. "It's so tragic, Angela..." He said softly as he slowly lifted his head back up.

"Oh?" Angela replied.

"...Yeah..." Joel confirmed. "...We all thought you were dead. It was pretty tragic. And then, Rose and I find out that you're alive. It's a shame that now, after your miraculous survival, I can't let you leave this room alive..."

Then, in a flash and with a grunt, Joel brought up his clawed hand and shot them towards Angela's chest, right into her heart. With a piercing noise, Angela's eyes widened and she gasped.

BLACKOUT; END EPISODE

**A/N: Please review!**


	6. Chapter 6

Future Dragon: Rose Long (Season Four)

Chapter/Episode 6: Dead End Search

Joel's claws had gone right into Angela's chest. His eyes wide, Coen watched from his chair, his mouth slowly opening as Joel grunted, pulling his claws out of Angela's chest. Immediately, Angela's legs gave way and she fell to her knees as Joel smiled, looking at the claws that he had used to impale Angela, holding them up to his face to see that there was no blood.

"Joel..." Coen managed.

"What?" Joel asked, lowering his claws, turning around. "I did what I had to..." As he finished saying this, he put his clawed hands on his hips. Then, he turned back around, only to gasp as he saw that Angela had not fallen to the floor and was instead looking up at him with a scowl on her face.

"No...Not possible..." Joel muttered with wide eyes as he took two steps back, clasping his claws together, bringing them up to his chest. "...I ki...killed you." As he stammered, she watched as Angela climbed up onto her feet, revealing that she had four holes in her chest, black liquid starting to form at each of them. "Yo...You should be on your belly, dead!" Joel exclaimed, separating his clawed hands and clenching them into tight fists.

"Take a look at me, Joel." Angela said in a deep, unnaturally angry voice. "You are absolutely right. Unfortunately for you, you were wrong about me..."

"How?" Joel asked, lowering his hands to his sides.

"...I didn't make it out of the Underworld alive." Angela said. "You can't kill a dragon that's already dead."

Although his eyes were wide at first, Joel managed to reclaim control and he smiled. "Well, my friend..." He said. "...Dead or not, I still can't have you tell Rose about my plans. Coen and I will just have to find another way to keep you in this room..."

LINE BREAK

Angela sat against one side of Coen's table in her human form, her arms pulled back behind the table-leg, her wrists held with a length of chains. Angela lightly pulled at the chains once as she watched Joel, still in his dragon form, on his knees, finishing chaining her feet.

"So..." Joel said with a smile on his face as he looked up to stare at Angela. "...You died?"

"Yes." Angela said. "And you can't kill me again. I also don't think that you can keep me locked up here forever. You're screwed, Joel."

"Oh, don't worry..." Joel said, reaching over and making Angela frown as he put his clawed hand on her shoulder. "...I'm not going to keep you here forever."

"Then what are you going to do, Joel?" Angela asked.

"I'll let you go..." Joel said softly as he pulled his claws away from his captive. "...As soon as I get Rose's blood. I can't have you warning her."

"But you'll let me go after you have it?" Angela asked, raising an eyebrow.

"What will Rose be able to do after I've taken her blood?" Joel asked, smiling again before he started to stand back up.

"I don't know..." Angela replied sarcastically as she looked up at Joel. "...Maybe she and Savannah can lock you up..."

"I don't think that they'll be able to..." Joel looked down at his captive, putting his scaly arms behind his back. Then, he looked back up and turned around. "...Because if my plans go according to plan..." He started to walk away from the chained woman. "...Which they will..." He then stopped in his tracks and turned back around. "...The entire team will not stand a chance against me."

LINE BREAK

With a ding, the elevator doors slid open, allowing Rose and Savannah to both walk out. As the doors slid closed behind them, Rose reverted to her human form in a bright light. As soon as it faded, Savannah turned to the side to look at Rose's human form, Rose turning her head to the side.

"I'm going to go find Angela." Rose told her.

LINE BREAK

"Okay..." Joel crossed his scaly arms as he leaned against the closed door. Now in his dragon form, Coen stood beside the chained up Angela, both dragons staring at him. "...You stay in here and make sure that Angela doesn't get free..."

Not saying anything, Coen just nodded. Satisfied, Joel lowered his arms and stepped away from the door, Angela and Coen watching as Joel reverted to his human form in a bright light. As soon as the light faded, the now human Joel turned around opened the door, stepping out quickly and closing the door just as quickly.

LINE BREAK

Rose looked around her surroundings as she walked toward her room. As soon as she reached her room, Rose reached up and put her hand up to the door, pushing it open slowly. Lowering her arm, Rose slowly stepped into the dark room.

"Angela?" Rose asked loudly, walking further into the room, looking both ways.

As she reached the middle of the room, she stopped, looking straight ahead. "Okay, she's not here." Rose said. Sighing, she then turned back around and started to walk toward the door.

Passing through the entrance, Rose only managed to take three steps before she grunted, stumbling to the side as she bumped into a human form. However, before she could fall over, a hand reached out and grabbed her hand, keeping her hand. As soon as she was straightened up, Rose turned her head to the side, pulling her hand away, to see Arkadi standing before her.

"Sorry, Rose." He said in his Russian accent. "I didn't see you."

"It's okay." Rose told him as she turned to the side to face him. "I seem to be a bumping magnet."

"But I should have been looking where I was going..." Arkadi acknowledged.

"So should I have..." Rose agreed truthfully.

"Where are you going?" Arkadi asked.

"I'm looking for Angela." Rose said honestly as she put her hands on her hips. "She's been wanting to talk to me, but we haven't gotten a chance to...converse words..." Rose explained as she lifted one of her hands and started to twirl it in a circle. "Do you know where she is?" Rose added as she lowered her arm to her side.

"No." Arkadi said. "I haven't seen her since breakfast."

"Great..." Rose moaned, turning her head to the side. "...Well..." She then turned her head back to normal. "...Do you know if anyone else has seen her?"

LINE BREAK

Savannah, now in her human form, had her hands in her pockets as she made her way to the dining hall. Stepping into the room, Savannah smiled as she pulled her hands out of her pockets as she started to walk toward the table in the middle of the room.

"Savannah?" However, Savannah froze as she heard the sound of Rose's voice. Turning around, Savannah could see Rose slowly stepping into the room.

"Find Angela yet?" Savannah asked.

"No." Rose shook her head once. "I haven't seen her at all."

"Hmm..." Savannah replied, crossing her arms. "...That's rather strange. Have you looked everywhere?"

LINE BREAK

Rose and Savannah both sat at the table, each facing each other as they sat on opposite sides. However, they both turned their heads to see that Joel, followed by Arkadi, followed by Gilda, followed by Lista, followed by Cherri, followed by Maverick, and then followed by Lexy, all walked into the room, all in their human forms and all wearing their medallions around their necks.

As the team lined up, both Savannah and Rose stood up from their benches.

"What's this all about?" Gilda asked, almost in an annoyed tone.

"Angela is missing..." Savannah told them.

BLACKOUT; COMMERCIAL

BACK TO THE STORY/SHOW

Joel feigned shock as Arkadi, Gilda, Lista, Cherri, Maverick and Lexy all had genuinely surprised looks on their faces. "What do you mean she's missing?" Cherri asked. "We all saw her at breakfast this morning..."

"And Savannah and I both saw her when we left this morning to look for whoever killed my parents." Rose replied as she put her arms behind her back. "But now that we're back, we can't find her."

"Rose and I have decided to search the entire city." Savannah told her team. "However, this city is huge. It will take more than a day..."

"...To take up less time..." Rose continued for Savannah. "...We've decided to use the entire team."

"You'll be split up into teams of two." Savannah said. "Rose and I will go together..." As she said this, Savannah lifted up her arm and indicated Rose. Lowering her hand and arm, she continued: "Arkadi and Gilda. You two will go together. Lista and Lexy. You also." She then turned her head slightly to look at Joel. "Uh...where's Coen?"

"He's not feeling well..." Joel quickly said, putting his arms behind his back. "...I think he said something about a reaction to breakfast..."

"Oh..." Savannah didn't seem to be too bothered by this. "...Then you can go with Maverick." She pointed over to Maverick, who seemed to be rather surprised by this.

"What about me?" Cherri asked.

"You'll come with us." Savannah smiled as she crossed her arms.

LINE BREAK

As she sat up against the table leg, Angela turned her head to the side and looked up, watching as Coen typed away at his laptop. "What are you doing on there?" She asked.

Stopping his typing, Coen turned his head to the side and looked down. "None of your bus-" However, he stopped abruptly, his eyes widening as he slowly closed his mouth. Sneering, Coen looked back up and turned his head back to normal, resuming the typing on his laptop.

Sighing, Angela returned her head back to normal. "I never would have suspected you of something like this, Coen." She said. "Joel must be making you do this."

"He is..." Coen managed, not bothering to turn his head to the side, merely continuing to type on his laptop. However, he then pulled his hands away and then leaned closer to the screen. Seconds later, Angela's eyes widened as she heard a growling noise coming from Coen, turning her head back to the side to look at her teammate who was keeping her prisoner.

"Then do something about it, Coen." Angela urged him. "Let me go and together we can tell Lono. Even Savannah will do. There will be nothing that Joel will be able to do. He'll be dragged down to the prisons and you will be free..."

There was a pause with no exchange of words as Coen just turned around in his chair. He then slid out of the chair and knelt down beside Angela. "Not of this." Coen managed before he stuck out his tongue, allowing Angela to see the golden dragon.

"What is that?"

"Dark magic..." Coen managed after he pulled his tongue. "...Joel'll kill me..."

"Lono can find a way to free you..."

"Only Joel knows..." Coen answered darkly.

LINE BREAK

Rose watched outside the dining hall as Joel and Maverick walked away from the hall in their dragon forms. Rose then turned to the side as she watched Lista and Lexy walking directly away, also in their dragon forms. Finally, Rose turned fully around from Joel and Maverick to see Gilda and Arkadi walking away, both of them also in their dragon forms.

Rose then watched as Savannah walked out of the dining hall, closely followed by Cherri, both of them still in their human forms.

"Ready?" Savannah asked as she and Cherri turned to the side.

"As I'll ever be..." Rose said as she brought her hands together and cracked her knuckles.

LINE BREAK

Joel was walking way ahead of Maverick, as he was trying to get to his room. "Joel!" He could hear Maverick calling from behind. Turning his head to the side, Joel could see Maverick running toward him. "Joel, let me catch up!"

Sighing, Joel turned his head back to normal as Maverick caught up with him, Joel slowing down while Maverick continued to go on. Smiling cruelly, Joel moved his tail over to the side and slid it over toward the walking Maverick.

Abruptly, Maverick grunted and his eyes nearly bulged out of his head before he fell face-first to the ground, Joel quickly pulling his tail back. As Maverick lied face down on the grass, the grinning Joel crossed his scaly arms.

LINE BREAK

"This is where Rose and Savannah came in..." Lista said as she and Lexy walked toward the watery elevator. "...Why would Angela be here now?" Lista finished asking as she turned her head to the side.

"The entirety of the city should be searched." Lexy answered, keeping her eyes in front as Lista slowly turned her head back to normal. "I think this is the best place to start looking, even if she isn't here."

At this point, the two dragons had reached the elevator. "Well, she's not here..." Lista crossed her arms. "...Where should we check now?"

"Let's go left..." Lexy decided, turning her head to the left.

LINE BREAK

Mermaids and mermen were sitting around in a kind of bar. There was one mermaid who was setting down a drink in front of a merman, who grinned at her as she jumped up, hopping so that she turned around.

His smile vanishing, the merman started to lift up his drink, only to abruptly turn his head to the side as the door slammed open. All of the other mermaids and mermen, including the mermaid who was serving drinks, turned their heads to the side to see the still dragon Joel entering the room, gasping for breath.

However, Joel then turned around and leaned over slightly, grunting as he took steps back, pulling the still dragon-formed and still unconscious Maverick into the room.

"What the hell happened to him?" The server mermaid asked, watching as Joel set Maverick down and turned back around to face them.

"He fell and hit his head." Joel lied. "He's still unconscious. I was wondering if he could stay here for the time being..."

"Why here?" The server mermaid asked. "What makes you think that a bar is a place for an unconscious dragon?"

"We're looking for a member of our team..." Joel crossed his scaly arms. "...And I don't want to drag him along with me for the entire time. Look..." As he continued, he lowered his arms to his side. "...I checked over his injury. It's not bad. He'll awaken in a short while. No harm done. He's lucky. It won't harm your business..."

LINE BREAK

"Come on, Coen..." Angela tried again as she watched Coen pace back and forth in the room. "...Just think this through. Joel won't be able to kill you if he's locked away."

To this, Coen said nothing. He just turned in the other direction and continued to pace.

Sighing, Angela looked down at her lap for a few seconds before she finally slowly lifted her head back up again. "Coen, listen to me..." She said firmly as Coen turned and continued to pace. "...I don't know if you ever shared my beliefs, but I can tell you that death is not the end. I'm dead, Coen. Do you know what my eternal future holds?"

"Don't care..." Coen told her as he turned around again and continued to pace. "...I'm thinking..."

"You should be thinking about your soul, Coen." Angela said loudly. "My future is bleak, and yours will be, too. Don't damn yourself, Coen."

"Shut up..." Coen growled with annoyance, turning to the side to face her as he stopped pacing.

"Coe..." Angela started again, but before she could continue, she stopped as the door opened, the still dragon Joel walking in.

Closing the door behind him with his tail, Joel crossed his scaly arms. "Unless you want a piece of cloth in your mouth, Angela..." He said sternly. "...I suggest that you keep quiet." Then, without saying another word to Angela, he turned to the side, making Coen turn to the side as well as Angela watched.

"They're searching for her, Coen." Joel said as he lowered his scaly arms to his side.

"You see?" Angela spoke up again. "They're looking for me. It doesn't have to end negatively. Just let me go. I will not say anything."

"Shut up!" Joel barked as he jerked his head to the side just long enough to speak to her. Then he quickly returned his head back to normal. "They are all looking for her."

"And me?" Coen asked.

"I told them that you're not feeling well..." Joel put his clawed hands on his hips. "...Hopefully that will keep them away from this room. But if not, keep her silent!" As he said this, he pulled his clawed hand away from his hip and pointed over to Angela, who frowned.

"And when this is over..." Joel continued as he lowered his scaly arm. "...I'll hopefully be able to go back to trying to steal some of Rose's blood..."

Coen watched as Joel turned around and started to walk toward the door. As soon as he reached it, Joel turned his head to the side to look at Coen. "Remember..." He said in a warning tone. "...Keep a close eye on our little prisoner..."

"I will..." Coen managed.

Not saying another word, Joel then turned his head back to normal, opened the door and then stepped outside, closing the door behind himself.

BLACKOUT; COMMERCIAL

BACK TO THE STORY/SHOW

"Savannah, why are we checking here?" Cherri asked as she and Rose stood behind of Savannah on each side of her. All three were still in their dragon forms as they stepped into a large room.

"She could be in here." Savannah replied.

"Doubt it." Cherri replied. "We would have been told by now..."

By this time, the three dragons had stopped in front of a large chair that completely blocked the one sitting in the chair from them. "Silver..." Savannah said with respect as she put her scaly arms behind her back.

Within seconds, the chair spun around and Rose could see a mermaid wearing a teal tank-top, but her lightly colored hair had some grey in it. Immediately, her face lit up. "How can I help you?" She asked happily, clasping her hands together before her eyes fell on Rose.

"Rose!" She exclaimed. "I'm delighted to see you again! I haven't seen you since you became Mrs. Jake Long!"

"Nice to see you again, Silver..." Rose replied, giving the mermaid somewhat of a shy smile. "...I'm...I'm a little surprised that you recognize me. You've...You've never seen me as a dragon before. I didn't even know that you knew..."

"We mermaids keep in touch with the Dragon Council..." Silver replied, still smiling. "...So, what are you doing here?"

"My..." Rose began. "...My parents were murdered." Even though Silver gasped with shock and horror, Rose continued: "I guess...I guess I'm just trying to give myself something to do..."

"That's our long-term goal, Silver..." Savannah explained as she removed her arms from behind her back, allowing them to dangle at her sides. "...But for now, Rose, Cherri and I are looking for Angela. We can't find her. Have you seen her?"

"I..." Silver seemed perplexed. "...I thought...I thought I heard from another mermaid that Angela died..."

"She didn't." Savannah smiled right before Cherri mumbled from behind:

"Boy, news gets around fast here..."

"Have you seen her?" Savannah asked, her smile fading.

"No." Silver said sadly as she shook her head once. "I'm sorry, Savannah. If I knew where she was, I would tell you..."

Although she looked disappointed, Savannah still managed to answer: "I know you would..." Then, she quickly turned around and started to walk toward the exit. "...Come on guys..." She said, and under her breath, she added in an annoyed tone: "...Dragon Council..."

LINE BREAK

Night had fallen over Mermaid City, and Savannah, Rose and Cherri, still in their dragon forms, all had disappointed looks on their faces. "Nowhere..." Savannah said glumly. "...We couldn't find her..."

"Maybe the others had more luck..." Cherri added as the three of them arrived at the dining hall.

"Perhaps..." Savannah said as she entered first.

"We can only hope..." Rose added as she followed Savannah, entering second.

"...I guess we should just wait and find out..." Cherri finished as she also walked into the dining hall. However, she abruptly stopped and gasped in surprise as she saw that Rose and Savannah had both stopped, both of them turning around to look at her. "...What?" Cherri asked.

"You're absolutely right, Cherri." Savannah told her. "Can you do Rose and I a favor and go alert the other members of the team? Tell them that the search is off. Hopefully one of the pairs has found her..."

LINE BREAK

"Arkadi..." Gilda whined from behind as Arkadi, still in his dragon form, turned around a building, making his way toward the door. Seconds later, the still dragon Gilda turned around the corner as well.

"...It's getting late." She told him, putting her clawed hands on her hips. "We should be getting back to the others..."

"We haven't found Angela yet." Arkadi said in his Russian accent as he turned his head to the side.

"So what?" Gilda retorted. "Maybe the others have..."

"Let's just check in here..." Arkadi told her before he turned his head back to normal. Then, he finished walking to the door. Then, he turned and walked inside. Groaning, Gilda rolled her eyes before she started to follow him.

Inside the bar, Arkadi found only a few mermaids as he walked toward the counter. As soon as he reached it, he set his arm down on it, leaning forward as he turned his head to the side, watching Gilda slowly walking into the room.

Turning his head back to normal, Arkadi saw that the server mermaid was standing in front of him. "What can I get for you?" She asked.

"I-" Arkadi started, but he stopped when he heard a moan coming from the other side of the room.

Gilda turned her head to the side and saw that Maverick moaning as he lied on his back near the wall on the opposite side of the room of the counter. "Maverick!" Turning to the side, Gilda started to run toward him.

"What happened to Maverick?" Arkadi asked as he turned his head back to normal.

"He was brought in here-" The server mermaid began, only to be cut off by Arkadi.

"By Joel?" Arkadi asked.

"Was that the dragon's name?" The server mermaid asked, shrugging. "Anyway, he said that he hit his head so he left him here for safe keeping..."

Maverick groaned as Gilda, sitting on her knees, slowly helped the now conscious dragon up into a sitting position. "You hit your head?" Arkadi asked as he started to walk toward the two.

"I..." Maverick said as he turned his head to the side. "...I don't remember." He answered as Arkadi knelt down at his side. "I was searching with Joel. Then...Then I felt a pain in my head. The next thing I know, I'm here..."

"Hmmm..." Arkadi thought out loud as Maverick stared at him with a look of confusion. "...Joel said that you hit your head..."

"Is that what happened?" Maverick asked as he slowly brought one of his clawed hands up to the back of his head.

"I don't know..." Arkadi narrowed his eyes. "...Maybe I should talk to Joel about it..."

"You're not serious..." Gilda said, her eyes wide as she turned her head to the side.

"I am..." Arkadi nodded once.

"Alone?"

"Yes."

"Then what am I supposed to do?"

After a few seconds, Arkadi finally spoke again: "Stay with Maverick..." Then, he started to stand straight up while Gilda watched with wide eyes and a gaping mouth. Without saying another word, Arkadi turned around and started to walk toward the exit.

LINE BREAK

Rose and Savannah, now both in their human forms, sat on each side of the table. Entering the dining hall in his dragon form, Joel was surprised to see them. "Oh..." He said, making both Savannah and Rose turn their heads to the side.

"Where's Maverick?" Savannah asked.

"He-" Joel started, but before he could finish, he whirled around as he heard a creaking noise, seeing a still dragon Cherri entering the room, followed by a dragon Lista, and then a dragon Lexy.

"We couldn't find Joel or Maverick or Arkadi and Gilda..." Cherri said as she stopped at the side of Joel, only to turn her head to the side to look at Joel, who also turned his head to the side to look at her. "...But I guess I just found Joel..."

"Can you tell me where Maverick is, Joel?" Savannah repeated.

"Oh..." Joel smiled sheepishly as he turned back around, watching Savannah frown at him. "...He...hit his head..."

"He hit his head?" Rose asked.

"That's what I said..." Joel crossed his scaly arms.

"And how did he do that?" Savannah asked.

"He fell."

"And you just left him lying on the ground?" Savannah asked.

"No!" Joel smiled with pride. "I left him in a place where he'll be safe."

"And where would that be?" Savannah asked.

Joel opened his mouth to answer, but before he could answer, he heard gasps coming from Lexy and Lista. Lowering his arms, Joel and Cherri turned around to see a still dragon Gilda entering the room sideways, grunting as she entered. Within seconds, Cherri and Joel, as well as Lista and Lexy, who backed up, could see why: turning to the side, Gilda was helping a dragon Maverick inside with her scaly arm against the back of her neck.

"Maverick!" Joel smiled as he feigned happiness. "You're okay!"

"Did you hit your head?" Cherri asked. "That's what Joel said..."

"I don't remember..." Maverick admitted. "...If Joel says that's what happened, then I believe him. He...He was there. He saw it happen."

"Well, where's Arkadi?" Cherri asked.

"He went to see Joel..."

"Really?" Joel asked, his eyes widening. However, he quickly managed to hide his surprise as Cherri and Lexy both turned their heads to the side to look at him. "Well..." Joel said as he crossed his scaly arms. "...Perhaps I should go see him, then..."

LINE BREAK

Slowly and carefully, the dragon Arkadi turned around the corner of Coen's room; he then started to make his way to the door.

As soon as he reached it, he turned to the side, reached out and grabbed the knob. Turning it, the Gamboge-colored dragon pushed the door open and stepped inside. "Hey, Coen, have you-" He started, only to stop and gasp.

Arkadi saw Angela sitting against the leg of Coen's table, her feet chained up. Coen was at her side and was standing up. Upon hearing Arkadi's voice, Coen turned to the side to face him.

His eyes wide, Arkadi slowly started to back out of the room. As soon as he was completely out of the room, he quickly turned to the side and started to immediately pant as he sprinted off.

"Well, I told you..." Angela said as she turned her head to the side to see Coen frozen in surprise. "...I told you that your involvement with this would only end on a bad note!"

"Shut-" Coen started, only to be cut off as Angela continued:

"It's not too late!" She pleaded. "Tell the rest of the team that you were forced into this! Have a change of heart! Save yourself!"

"Shut up!" Coen shouted in annoyance, jerking his head to the side to look at Angela.

LINE BREAK

Outside, Arkadi continued to run. Turning around the corner of a building, Arkadi started to continue, only to grunt after only taking another step, a Peridot-colored tail slamming into his chest.

Being thrown back, Arkadi grunted as he landed on his back, reverting to his human form as an angry looking Joel landed on his feet.

Arkadi tried to lift his head up, only to have Joel's clawed hand come down over his mouth. "You saw Angela, didn't you?" Joel asked dangerously as he leaned close to Arkadi.

Quickly, Arkadi shook his head, his eyes wide.

"Don't make me murder you, Arkadi..." Joel replied with a tone of annoyance. "...Just tell me the truth and I swear to you that you will live through this. Now, I'll ask you again: Did you find Angela?"

Arkadi made movement for about ten seconds; his eyes were just wide as he stared at his captor. Finally, he slowly started to nod his head...

BLACKOUT; END EPISODE

**A/N: Please review. **


	7. Chapter 7

Future Dragon: Rose Long (Season Four)

Chapter/Episode 7: Bloody Nightmare

Inside the dining hall, Maverick was sitting next to Rose in his human form, while the still dragon Cherri set down a glass of water in front of him. "Thanks..." Maverick said as Cherri took a step back, Maverick taking the glass, staring at Savannah, who sat on the other end of him, before Maverick put the glass to his lips and down the entire thing in three gulps.

Savannah's eyes were wide with surprise as Maverick lowered the glass, a moan coming from him as Rose turned her head to the side to stare at him. "I'd say it's time for you to get some rest..." Savannah said to Maverick before she turned her head to the side to see Gilda, Lexy and Lista all standing in their dragon forms by the door. "...Gilda, why don't you take Maverick back to his room?"

Nodding once, Gilda stepped away from the other two and started to walk toward Maverick and Rose. "What about us, Savannah?" Lexy asked.

"Dismissed." Savannah said. "I'll see you two at breakfast tomorrow..."

Rose turned her head to the side as Gilda walked passed her and watched as Lexy turned and left the room, followed by Lista, who turned and followed her. Then, she turned her head in the other direction and watched as Maverick slowly got up from the bench.

"Rose..." The sound of Savannah's voice made Rose turn her head back to normal to see Savannah giving her a small smile. "...I think it's time to retire for the night..."

LINE BREAK

With a clicking sound, Joel finished chaining Arkadi's feet. In his human form, Arkadi sat against the back leg of Coen's table, seated to the side of Angela with his arms chained behind him. Pulling against his chains to check the strength of them, Arkadi watched as the still dragon Joel slowly stood back up on his feet.

"Okay..." Joel said as he turned to the side and walked around the table, now facing Coen. "...Hopefully, there won't be any more interferences..."

"Hopefully not..." Coen responded softly.

"The search should be over for the night." Joel said, putting his clawed hands on his hips. "It's getting late. So...I was thinking I try to get Rose's blood."

"How?" Coen crossed his arms.

"It's late." Joel explained. "She should be tired. I can take her blood while she sleeps. Maybe this time, she'll stay asleep and not wake up in front of me..."

"She will wake up..." Coen managed, lowering his arms to his sides.

"Then do you have any other suggestions?" Joel asked with a tone of annoyance, crossing his scaly arms as he slowly started to walk toward his partner, making Coen back up. "I think that I've been very patient, Coen, but now, I've lost all my patience..."

"Okay..." Coen stopped walking backwards, his response making Joel stop, also making Joel slowly lower his scaly arms to his side.

"Okay?" He asked. "Then I take it that you have a suggestion?"

"I..." Coen said slowly. "...I do."

"And?" Joel asked, crossing his scaly arms again.

Sighing, Coen looked down at his feet briefly before he looked back up at Joel, who started to tap his foot in his impatience, still keeping his arms crossed. Not saying another word, Coen walked over to the end of the table on the opposite side of where Angela and Arkadi were chained.

Turning her head to the side, Angela watched as Coen grunted, getting down on his stomach and putting his head and arms under the table. Angela's eyes widened as she heard Coen grunt, watching him lift up the floorboard underneath the table.

Underneath the floor, there were several large glass beakers with a liquid of each color. Reaching down into the hole in the floor, Coen grabbed a plastic zip-lock bag that contained a small vial filled with clear liquid and a syringe.

Turning to the side, Joel lowered his scaly arms as he watched Coen get back up to his feet again, turning to the side and holding out the plastic zip-lock bag out to him. "What's in there?" Joel asked as he started to walk over to his accomplice. As soon as he reached Coen, Joel snatched the bag out of his hands and held it up to his face as Coen turned to the side and reached over to a piece of paper that was on his table. "What is this?" Joel repeated as he lowered the bag from his view, only to see that Coen was hunched over his table, writing something down on the paper.

As soon as he was done, Coen set down his pen and straightened back up, turning to the side and holding the piece of paper up for Joel to read: _**Noftronium. It's a rare sedative that you could only find at Magus Bazaar for a couple of months before it became illegal. It'll put Rose in a sort of coma that will wear off in about two to three hours.**_

"Hmm..." Joel seemed satisfied as he looked at the paper. "...Perfect..."

LINE BREAK

Stepping out of the dining hall, Rose and Savannah walked side-by-side. However, once they were outside, Savannah turned to the side as she stopped walking, making Rose do the same.

"Well, goodnight, Rose." Savannah said softly with a tone of disappointment in her tone.

"Goodnight." Rose returned.

"We'll keep looking tomorrow." Savannah informed her friend, wrapping her arms around her stomach. "I'm not giving up on Angela."

"It really looks like she's not here..." Rose stated. "...Between the entire team, we searched everywhere."

"Maybe she went out to get some fresh air and time to herself." Savannah guessed hopefully. "And on our way back, we just didn't come across her. Maybe she'll be back tomorrow."

"Maybe..." Rose agreed softly.

"Rose..." Savannah said. "...I'm not giving up on her. She's a good friend. I thought we lost her once. That's not going to happen again. She's back to stay this time..."

LINE BREAK

"Here..." Coen said as he set down a normal sized, empty beaker on the side of his table as a now human Joel sat in Coen's chair, flicking the needle of the syringe after filling it with the Noftronium. Looking up from the needle, Joel nodded as Coen took a step back, crossing his arms.

"Hey, Coen..." Joel said as he held the syringe in one hand while leaning forward and reaching out to grab the beaker. "...I've got a question."

"What?"

"You know one of my plans was to drug Rose so I could get her blood while she slept, right?" Joel asked as he leaned back in the chair with the beaker in his hand.

Instead of responding verbally, Coen just nodded once.

"Why didn't you tell me about this?" Joel asked, holding up the syringe slightly. "You could have saved me a lot of time and energy..."

"You never asked..."

"Well, I didn't have to..." Joel told his accomplice, his eyes narrowing. "...I would have thought that it would have spoken for itself when I wasn't able to find any drugs to knock Rose out..."

When Coen said nothing in response to this, Joel slowly got up from the chair. "So, do you know if there will be any negative side effects on her?" He asked. "After all, you did say that it's illegal. I don't want Rose to get hurt."

"Ni..." Coen started, but then he stopped. He instead then turned to the side and flipped over a piece of paper with one hand while he used the other to grab his pen. Rolling his eyes, Joel sat back down in the chair as he watched Coen writing something down on the paper.

After ten seconds, Coen set down the pen and straightened himself, handing the piece of paper over for Joel to read: "It was proven to cause vivid nightmares..." Joel read.

Nodding, Coen lowered the paper as Joel just smiled. "That's it?" He asked in an amused tone. "Nightmares? Please!" Standing up from the chair, he finished: "She'll live."

LINE BREAK

Rose reached the door to her room and reached out, turning the knob and pushing the door open. As Rose walked inside, she was completely unaware of Joel, still in his human form and with the bag in his hands, turning around the corner for her door.

The door closed behind Rose, making Joel smile mischievously. "I can wait another hour or two..." He said. "...Now that I finally have what I need, one more hour or so will be nothing." Turning to the side, Joel continued to smile as he leaned back against the wall. "Enjoy the beginning of your night Rose, because the peace is going to come to an end..."

BLACKOUT; COMMERCIAL BREAK

BACK TO THE STORY/SHOW

In Rose's room, Rose was lying on her back on her bed, snoring loudly. As she was asleep, Rose had no idea that the door was creaking as it slowly opened, Joel stepping into the room. Finally reaching the bed of the snoring woman, Joel smiled as he took the plastic zip-lock bag in both of his hands and opened it, reaching in and taking out the syringe.

Rose gave a loud snort as she snored, but after the snort, her snores began to fade and she instead moaned pleasantly as inhaled again. Getting down on his knees, Joel slowly put the needle to the side of Rose's neck and slowly stuck the needle in as Rose received a few moments without snoring. Then, Joel used his thumb to press down, injecting the Noftronium into Rose. With the Noftronium injected, Joel slowly slid the needle out.

Placing the syringe back into the plastic bag, Joel then took out the beaker. Dropping the bag onto the floor, Joel allowed his free hand to be consumed in a bright light. As soon as the light faded, Joel grinned as he looked down, seeing his claws.

Moving his claws over to Rose's bare and exposed arm, Joel wrapped his claws around her arm, lifted it up and moved it so that he was holding it under the beaker. Seconds later, there was a slicing noise, accompanied by blood pouring into the beaker.

As soon as he was satisfied, Joel looked up and slowly moved Rose's bloody arm back over to the bed and dropped it back down onto the bed.

"Thanks, Rose." Joel smiled right before he grunted, standing back up. "After so many attempts..." He said as he looked down at her. "...I finally have what I've needed..."

Looking back up, Joel turned around and quickly started to walk toward the door, leaving behind Rose, who still slept peacefully.

Reaching the door to the room, Joel smiled as he turned his head to the side to look at Rose. Then, he turned his head back to normal and walked out of the room, closing the door behind himself.

LINE BREAK

Opening the door to Coen's room, Joel stepped into the room with a smile on his face. "HA!" He exclaimed, making Coen spin around in his chair, watching as Joel used his foot to close the door. "I got her blood!" He said. "Here." He said, extending out his hand with the beaker with Rose's blood in it. "Take it."

Without saying a word, Coen slowly got up out of the chair as Angela turned her head to the side to look at him as he walked over to Joel, taking it as he reached him, stopping.

"Now what?" Coen managed.

"That machine that you have..." Joel smiled as he crossed his arms. "...Use it. I now have the means to do what I've wanted to do for so long: create a new generation of Huntsclan..."

LINE BREAK

In her room, Rose continued to lie on her back on her bed as she dreamt...

LINE BREAK

_In her dreams, Rose was lying on a beach on a towel, her arms behind her head, wearing sunglasses as she stared up at the sunlit sky._

_Hearing a thudding sound, Rose could see that the sunlight was dimming as a shadow blocked her view. Rolling her head to the side, she could see a poll that was part of an umbrella sticking out of the sand._

_"Hey, babe..." Hearing the sound of her husband's voice, Jake Long lied down on his side right next to her a few seconds later with a smile on his face._

_"Hey, Jake..." Rose smiled._

_"I've missed you." Jake told her. "I'm glad your back from your adventure with your new friends. I'm glad you were able to get some closure with your parents' deaths..."_

_"Me too..." Rose replied softly._

_The two just lied next to each other, Rose even rolling over onto her side. "Do you want to know how much I've missed you?" Rose asked._

_"Sure." Jake's smile only widened._

_"This much..." Rose said in a near whisper, moving herself to the side so that eventually, her lips locked with Jake. Rose closed her eyes as she continued to kiss her husband, and after a few seconds, Jake did as well._

_However, after only five seconds of them kissing, the sky started to darken, casting an even darker second shadow over the two. The sand beneath them and all around them started to sink._

_Snapping her eyes open as she felt herself beginning to sink, Rose rolled over onto her back as she started to sink. "Rose, what are you doing?" Jake asked, lifting the side of his head off of the ground. "Rose?"_

_"Jake!" Rose called out, but she was already starting to lower into the Earth. Grunting as she sank, she finally screamed as the sand that Rose was sinking into fell away, dropping Rose into a dark pit. _

LINE BREAK

Moaning, Rose rolled over onto her side as she moaned in discomfort. Quickly, she rolled back over so that she was facing the other way. She remained that was for a few seconds, but soon after, she moaned again, gritting her teeth.

Rolling over onto her back, Rose groaned again. She struggled to open her eyes, but they remained shut despite her moans and her attempts to open them.

She was trapped in her dream.

LINE BREAK

_Moaning as heavy raindrops landed on her face, Rose slowly opened her eyes and stared up at the dark and rainy sky, just as a flash of lightning erupted in the sky._

_Groaning, Rose slowly rolled over onto her stomach and slowly pushed herself up onto her knees. Grunting, Rose then slowly got up to her feet. "What is this?" Rose asked, slowly looking down as she started to slowly lift her arms up. "I'm slow again. What's going on?"_

_Leaving her arms where they were, Rose slowly lifted her head up, seeing through the rain, many of the buildings that were on the Island of Draco._

_"I'm on the Island of Draco?" Rose asked, slowly lowering her arms. "What is going on? Why am I here? Why is my body reacting so slowly now?"_

_"Perhaps I can explain...Huntsgirl..." Suddenly, the sound of a familiar voice made Rose gasp. Slowly turning around, Rose could see The Huntsman walking up to her. His mask was gone and his uniform was torn, just like on the night of the Homecoming dance. In his hand was a Huntsclan staff, which he used like a walking stick._

_"No..." Rose breathed as The Huntsman stopped just a couple inches away from her. "...How is this possible?"_

_"You're stuck in a dream, Huntsgirl..." The Huntsman smiled evilly at her. "...Isn't it the only explanation, seeing as you killed me about sixteen years ago..."_

_"I haven't had a dream about you in over ten years..." Rose said in a soft voice, taking a slow step back. _

_"Well, that all changes on this night..." The Huntsman told her, his cruel smile fading._

_"What do you want?" Rose asked._

_"What do I want?" The Huntsman asked, amused. "This is your dream, Huntsgirl. I am merely a part of it."_

_"You have to want something..." Rose said, her voice getting a little bit stronger as she took another slow step backwards. "...If not, I seriously doubt that you would be in my dream. I doubt that my mind would put you in here just so you can do nothing. You have to want something. This isn't a dream, this is a nightmare..."_

_"And what makes you think that, Huntsgirl?"_

_"You're in it." Rose frowned._

_"Hmm..." The Huntsman replied. "...Huntsgirl, if you want a nightmare..." A cruel grin crossed his face. "...Then I will give you a nightmare." With a grunt, The Huntsman jumped into the air, using the staff to help launch himself up into the air._

_Her eyes wide and her mouth open slightly, Rose slowly looked up into the sky as The Huntsman started to come down with the rain._

_Rose tried to take a slow step backward, but before she could set her foot down, she grunted as The Huntsman came down on her, making her fall over onto her back._

_Getting down on his knees, The Huntsman hovered over her, wrapping his hands around her throat as she stared up at him defiantly. "How is this for a nightmare, Huntsgirl?" He asked her._

_"Do whatever you want to me." Rose glared up at him, trying to show bravery even though there was a hint of fear mixed in with the defiance in her eyes. "It's just a dream. I'll wake up..."_

_"Will you?" The Huntsman smiled cruelly. "Well, until that time comes, answer me this one question: Why?"_

_"Why what?" Rose managed._

_"You fell in love with a dragon..." The Huntsman growled. "...Why?"_

_"Because I did..." Rose smiled up at him, the small hint of fear now gone from her eyes. "...And I'm glad I did. While you're busy being dead, I have a family-a husband and a three year old son."_

_"Not anymore..." Came the sound of Jake's voice._

_"Huh?" Rose's eyes widened._

_"Take a look, Huntsgirl!" The Huntsman's smile returned as he removed his hands away from Rose's neck, allowing Rose to take a full breath of fresh air before The Huntsman grabbed her chin and forced it up into the air, making Rose's skull slide back so that it was digging into the wet, muddy grass._

_Through the rain and although looking upside down, Rose could see a smiling Jake in his human form. However, instead of his current dragon form, it was his small, scrawny dragon form that he had when he was fourteen years old. In his arms was a bundled up baby. Rose recognized the baby immediately: it was Jake Jr. at only a few months of age._

_"Jake?" Rose asked, bewildered._

_"Yo, what's up?" He asked._

_"Uh, I'm kind of in a predicament..." Rose told him sarcastically. "...Mind helping me out?"_

_"Actually..." Jake stared. "...I think I'd rather...kill our baby..." Grinning evilly, Jake pulled one of his clawed hands away from out and under the sleeping Jake Jr., putting one of his claws to the baby's forehead._

_"WHAT?!" Rose demanded, her eyes widening. "Jake, what are you doing?!" Her eyes widening, filling with fear and becoming watery. "That's our child! You love him!"_

_"This is a nightmare, remember?" The Huntsman continued to grin._

_"And besides..." Jake slowly started to lower his sharp claw. "...Who said I was Jake?"_

_"Wh...?" Rose began, but she stopped herself as she continued to stare at the dragon that she thought was her husband. Sure enough, as she stared at his grinning face, into his eyes, she could see a fire burning in them._

_"Evil Jake..." Rose gasped._

_"Thought I was locked up, huh?" Yang Jake's smile only widened._

_"You are..." Rose told him, her voice soft and small, her eyes still wide with fear. _

_"If I were locked up..." Yang Jake said, putting his index claw back to Jake Jr.'s forehead. "...How could I be here...about to kill your baby?"_

_"I know this is a dream..." Rose growled at him._

_"Oh?" Yang Jake's smile only widened more. "Then I guess that you don't mind if I kill him now..."_

_"Actually..." Rose narrowed her eyes. "...I do..."_

_At that moment, Rose's entire body became consumed in a bright light as she morphed into her dragon form. His eyes widening in surprise, The Huntsman's smile faded as the light faded, Rose now in her full dragon form._

_"You're a-" The Huntsman stammered._

_"Didn't see this coming, huh?" Rose smiled at him before she opened her mouth, blowing out a torrent of fire. Yelling in agony as the fire hit him, The Huntsman yelled as he was blasted up into the dark sky, no end to his launch in plain sight._

_Grunting, Rose rolled over onto her belly and she began to slowly push herself up with her clawed hands. "I don't care..." Rose growled slowly as she slowly lifted up her head. "...If this is a dream. I refuse to let you hurt my child..."_

_Gritting his teeth, Yang Jake turned around and flapped his wings, flying into the rainy sky just as Rose grunted, finally managing to get to her feet._

_Grunting, Rose slowly started to flap her wings, and after a few seconds, she slowly started to hover off of the grass. "Come on wings..." She begged to herself. "...If this is a dream, then I have control. Come on!"_

_She tried to flap harder, but with a grunt, Rose hit the ground again once her wings completely failed. Moaning, Rose slowly started to push herself up with her hands. Slowly turning her head to the side, Rose could see the Huntsclan staff that The Huntsman had dropped when she had blasted him off of her._

_"Yes..." Rose smiled hopefully._

_Slowly, she started to move her tail to the side so she could get the staff. However, just as she was just about to snag the staff, the staff faded entirely into thin air._

_"What?!" Rose's eyes widened as she shouted. "How in the-This IS a nightmare!"_

LINE BREAK

Dropping a piece of floorboard on the ground, Coen, now in his dragon form, stood back up, getting off of his knees. Turning around, Coen faced Joel, who was also in his dragon form and was standing on the other end of a semi-large square-shaped hole in the floor.

"Let's get this over with..." Joel said impatiently, putting his clawed hands on his hips.

Nodding once, Coen took two steps toward the hole in the floor and Joel. Upon reaching it, both he and Joel crouched down on their knees and reached into the hole, completely oblivious to the fact that Angela had her head turned to the side, watching them with wide eyes.

Together, Joel and Coen grunted as they slowly stood up, lifting up a device by the top of it, clicks being heard as it moved up.

Seconds later, Angela gasped as she watched Coen step back from a large clear capsule with a steel door. "Did you know that Coen has a machine?" Angela asked, turning her head to the side to address Arkadi.

"No..." He answered in his Russian accent. "...He has a machine?" He added as he turned his head to the side to look at Angela.

"Look for yourself..." Angela told him as she turned her head in the other direction.

"Chained..." He reminded her.

"Quiet, you two..." Joel ordered as he started to walk toward the table. Reaching it, he reached down and grabbed the beaker that contained Rose's blood. Turning around, he held it out to Coen, who was facing him. "...Here." Joel said. "Put it in your machine."

"Wait." Coen managed as he held up his clawed hands.

"Wait?" Joel asked. "I think I've waited long enough! I want my creation!"

Sighing, Coen started to make his way over to the table, making Joel step to the side as Coen reached the table. Turning to the side, Joel watched as Coen leaned over the table, reached across the desk and grabbed a piece of paper.

"Again?" Joel rolled his eyes. "Stop with the paper thing!" He growled.

"I can't..." Coen told him as he pulled away from the table and turned to the side to face Joel, holding up the piece of paper, allowing Joel to read:

_**You can't just put the blood in. You have to have an idea of what your creation is to look like. Draw a picture.**_

"A picture?" Joel asked. "Are you serious?"

"Completely." Coen told him as he lowered the piece of paper.

LINE BREAK

_Grunting as she slowly flapped her wings in the pouring rain, Rose slowly rose in the air. "Come on, wings..." Rose said to herself as she continued to ascend. "...Don't fail me now..." Grunting, she flapped her wings again._

_Meanwhile, Yang Jake was hovering in the air, looking down at the raging waters way below him. Chuckling evilly, the doppelganger looked up. "Have a nice fall, baby..." He said, only to have his smile wiped off of his face when he heard the sound of grunting and the sound of slowly flapping wings._

_"You've got to be kidding me..." Yang Jake grumbled, just as he heard another grunt coming from Rose._

_Whirling around, Yang Jake scanned the area, his eyes widening as he saw Rose slowly coming toward her. Quickly trying to hide his surprise, he smiled cruelly as Rose stopped flying toward him, just hovering in the air as she had reached a close enough distance._

_"Took you long enough..." He said._

_"Give me back my son." Rose demanded loudly over the sound of the falling rain._

_"Actually, I was thinking about dropping him..." Yang Jake told her._

_"You do that..." Rose growled, slowly clenching her clawed fists. "...And I swear that you will be in a world of hurt!"_

_"I'd like to see you try..." Yang Jake's grin only widened. "...Look at you! Look at how weak you are! Do you really think that you can do damage to me?!"_

_"I'll try..." Rose told him._

_With a grunt, Rose then started fly toward him, grunting with each flap of her wings. _

_Not affected by this, Yang Jake merely continued to grin as he backed up in the air as Rose slowly moved toward him, slowly reaching out with her arm and claws._

_"So close..." Yang Jake taunted her as he backed up an inch as Rose grunted, flapping her wings again. "...Just a little bit more..." Yang Jake said, backing up another inch._

_Growling as she stared up at him, Rose opened her mouth and blew out a torrent of fire. The fire caught Yang Jake off guard._

_Yelping, the evil doppelganger jerked back, dropping the still slumbering Jake Jr. as he lowered his arms, causing Jake Jr. to fall down toward the water._

_"JAKE!" Rose shouted, watching as her infant son fell._

_However, Rose was forced to slowly look up as she heard the sound of Yang Jake's evil chuckling. "You monster!" Rose shouted at him as the doppelganger stopped laughing._

_"What are you talking about?" Yang Jake put his clawed hands on his hips. "You're the one who made me drop your child. I'm the monster here?"_

_Staring at the doppelganger, Rose's eyes started to fill with doubt. Slowly looking back down at the raging waters where her son had disappeared. "Jake..."_

LINE BREAK

In her room, Rose continued to squirm around on her bed, rolling back and forth repeatedly as she moaned in discomfort.

Rolling back over onto her back, Rose moaned again as she opened her mouth and called out: "Jake!"

LINE BREAK

Angela kept her eyes on Joel as he stepped away from the wall, which her was drawing against. Turning around to face Coen, who was standing beside his machine, which had the steel door open and the beaker of blood inside, Joel smiled as he started to walk over to him.

Reaching Coen, Joel held up the piece of paper for Coen to see. "This." He said. "It should look like this."

"Okay." Coen said as he reached out and took the paper, folding it in half.

"How long is this creation going to take?" Joel asked as he crossed his arms, watching as Coen turned to the side and walked over to the open door.

"All night..." Coen said as he turned to the side and placed the folded piece of paper on top of the beaker.

Then, Coen took a step back, put his clawed hand on the door and closed it, preparing to start the machine.

BLACKOUT; END EPISODE

**A/N: Wow, I'm not happy with this. I admit that all I knew about this episode up until about the morning before I started to write it was that it was going to be the "Joel gets her blood episode". When I came up with the idea, I had forgotten about the scene where Joel went into Rose's room while she slept and I failed to take into account that Joel had already tried to find drugs for her. So, this episode just feels like a retread to me. I also tried to reference those two scenes in the conversation Joel had with Coen, but it just feels half-assed to me.**

**Well, enough of my rambling, please review and tell me if you liked it. **


	8. Chapter 8

Future Dragon: Rose Long (Season Four)

Chapter/Episode 8: The Mark

The machine started to light up from the inside as Coen walked backwards, rejoining Joel's side. "So..." With his arms still crossed, Joel turned his head to the side. "...By all night, do you mean that this will be done in the morning?"

"Should be." Coen answered.

"Then in the meantime..." Joel continued as he turned his head back to normal and lowered his scaly claws. "...Can you do me one favor?"

"Depends..."

"Look, all I want to know is how your machine works..." Joel told him, turning his head to the side. "...Is that good enough for you?" He asked as he turned his head back to normal.

"It's simple..." Coen told him before he started to walk over to his table. As Coen reached the side of his table, turning to the side to grab a piece of paper, Joel crossed his scaly arms as he watched Coen write something down.

About fifteen seconds later, Coen pulled up and turned to the side, walking toward him with the piece of paper in his claws. "Here." Coen said as he reached Joel, holding out the piece of paper, which Joel took with a smile.

"Thanks." Joel said as he held it up, reading out loud: "To use the machine, just draw what you want to create inside with the blood and then turn the machine on." After reading what Coen had written, Joel slowly lowered the piece of paper. "Is that all?"

"Yeah..." Coen answered, his tone sounding as though he was surprised that Joel would think that it would be more complicated.

"Hmm..." Joel replied as Coen stepped to the side. "...Thanks for giving me this..." He said, turning his head to the side as Coen stepped back so that he was standing beside Joel. Turing his head back to normal, Joel continued to watch the running machine with Coen.

LINE BREAK

Back in her room, Rose was lying on her back, moaning as she continued to dream. "Jake..." She moaned, gritting her teeth. "...My baby..."

With a gasp, Rose's eyes snapped open and she shot up into a sitting position, panting heavily. After about ten seconds of just sitting there and panting while looking around the room, Rose finally started to calm down.

Moaning, Rose brought up both of her arms and put them up to each side of her head, only to hiss in pain. Lowering both of her arms, Rose looked down to see the bloody slash on her arm.

"What the...?" Rose asked herself.

LINE BREAK

Opening the door to her room, Rose slowly stepped out to see that it was still pitch black outside. Yawning, Rose slowly turned around, reached out and quickly closed the door. Then, she turned and started to walk away from her room.

LINE BREAK

Rose was in the dining hall, sitting on top of the table with her feet on the bench as she slowly and carefully wrapped a long bandage around her slashed arm. "Rose?" Gasping, Rose jerked her head to see Maverick in his human form stepping into the room. "What are you doing here?"

"What are you doing here?" Rose retorted, however, there was no venom in her voice.

"Headache." Maverick told her, reaching up and putting his index finger on his scalp, only to flinch and quickly pull his hand away. "That hit to the head I took today was a hard one..."

"Oh." Rose replied. "I just woke up after a nightmare."

"What happened?" Maverick asked as he started to walk toward the table.

"In my dream?" Rose asked.

"What else?" Maverick asked as he stopped at the side of the table.

"The Huntsman and my husband's evil doppelganger were there..." Rose explained as she turned her head back to normal and looked down, watching carefully as she finished bandaging her arm. "...And both of these were enemies that I took down when I was a teenager."

"What did they do?"

"My husband's doppelganger..." Rose explained as she looked back up. "...Had my child..." She continued as she turned her head back to the side to look at Maverick. "...But in my dream, my son was an infant again. He was only about a few months old."

"Yeah?" Maverick said. "Go on..."

"The doppelganger...killed my child..." Rose managed.

"It was just a dream." Maverick told her. "Your son is perfectly safe right now."

"I know." Rose told him, giving him a small, nervous smile. "That doesn't make it less of a horrific nightmare..."

"What you need, Rose..." Maverick smiled as he slowly crossed his arms. "...Is a drink. Care to join me?" After asking this, he lowered his arms and walked around the table, passing by Rose. "That's the reason I came here..."

"To drown out the headache with a drink?" Rose asked, turning her head in the other direction to watch Maverick walk into the kitchen. "Won't that only give you a hangover in the morning?"

Rose received no answer for about a minute. That was when Maverick exited the kitchen with a bottle in his hands. "Besides, I don't drink." Rose said as Maverick walked toward her.

"Rose." Maverick seemed surprised as he stopped just a few inches away from her. Pointing at the bottle, he told her: "It's soda, just in a bottle..." As he said this, he turned the bottle around so that Rose could see the label.

"Oh..." Rose replied. "...My bad..." She gave him a sheepish smile.

"No problem." Maverick smiled back. "So...do you want some?"

Rose just stared at Maverick for a few seconds, blinking once as she thought about the offer. "Sure..." She finally said, giving him a small, genuine smile.

LINE BREAK

"Thanks..." Rose said, now holding a full glass of soda in her hands.

"Don't mention it." Maverick smiled as he set down the bottle and sat down on the opposite side of the table. Taking his glass, in his hand, he smiled as he held it up to his face. "I really shouldn't be having this..." He said.

"That's what I said earlier when I thought it was something other than soda..." Rose smiled, saying this before she took a sip.

"I have some weight issues..." He told her, shrugging. "...I thought you knew that, seeing as Cherri oh-so politely told you when she introduced me to you..."

"She did?" Rose asked before she took another sip.

"She did..." There was a sense of annoyance in Maverick's voice. After saying this, he put the glass to his lips and downed his entire serving in three gulps.

LINE BREAK

In the early morning, Mermaid City was starting to light up. Inside Coen's room, Coen and Joel were still standing together in their dragon forms as they watched Coen's machine, which was much brighter now, making it so that it was impossible to see what was going on inside it, but not so that anyone staring at it would be blinded.

"Yes..." Grinning, Joel clenched his clawed hands into fists as he stepped away from Coen and started to walk toward the machine. "...The morning has arrived. The creation must be almost complete..." He said as he stopped in front of the brightly lit machine.

"Not much longer..." Coen managed to confirm.

Continuing to grin, Joel unclenched his clawed fists and crossed his scaly arms as he continued to watch the machine.

BLACKOUT; COMMERCIAL BREAK

BACK TO THE STORY/SHOW

Setting down his cup, Maverick opened his mouth and let out a loud belch as Rose poured herself her final glass of soda with the remaining amount of soda. Setting down the glass bottle, she giggled.

"What?" Maverick asked.

"Nothing..." Rose replied as she picked up the glass with both of her hands. "...I just can't believe we spent a few hours just sitting here drinking soda."

"I can..." The sound of Cherri's voice entered the room.

Gasping, Rose turned her head to the side to see Cherri walking into the room in her human form, fully dressed and with her medallion on. "...Well, Maverick at least..." She admitted as she stopped at the end of the table, crossing his arms.

"Shut up, Cherri!" Maverick snapped as he turned his head to the side. "You're not so perfect yourself!"

"Never said I was..." Cherri told him as she lowered her arms to her sides.

"What are you doing here?" Rose asked.

"Coming in for breakfast." Cherri told her. "It's going to be served in about fifteen or so minutes..."

"Time flies..." Rose muttered.

Cherri just stared at Rose for a few seconds, using her eyes to stare Rose over. However, as she spotted Rose's wrapped-up arm, her eyes widened. "Rose..." She whispered in shock. "...When did that happen?" She asked, pointing at her bandaged arm. "I don't remember you having that on last night..." She added as she lowered her hand.

"This?" Rose asked, lifting up her bandaged arm. "I really can't tell you." She explained as she lowered it only after about two seconds of having it up. "I just woke up and my arm was bleeding..."

"That's..." Cherri raised an eyebrow. "...Certainly strange..."

LINE BREAK

Back in Coen's room, Joel's smile was now replaced with a scowl as he continued to stare at the machine with his scaly arms crossed.

"I thought you said that it wouldn't be too much longer!" Joel barked, jerking his head to the side to look at Coen.

"Few more minutes..." Coen told him, putting his arms behind his back.

Growling, Joel returned his head back to normal as Angela continued to watch him, her eyes wide with worry. "We can't let that machine finish..." She said, turning her head in the other direction to look at Arkadi. "...We can't let-"

"What are we supposed to do?" Arkadi asked in his Russian accent as he turned his head to the side to look at her, just as the two of them heard a ding coming from the machine.

"It's done..." They could hear Coen.

Her eyes wide, Angela turned her head in the other direction to see Coen walking toward the now unlit machine, Joel right behind him. Coen brought his scaly arms up and put his clawed hands on the door. Grinning, Joel took three steps back as Coen grunted, taking two steps back, opening the steel door, steam coming out through the now open door.

Out of the steam, a scaly, grey-colored foot with five sharp claws stepped down on the ground, followed by a second foot.

Watching as the steam cleared, Joel grinned happily, clasping his clawed hands together against his chest. "Yes..." He said, now being able to see the creation, which was a long, giant, living Huntsclan mark, its body twisting around like a large slide, only with skinny and small, but functional wings and arms and claws a few inches longer than Joel's, and quite a bit sharper. "...This is perfect! The first of my own, personal army of new Huntsclan WARRIORS!"

LINE BREAK

Back in the dining hall, Cherri, Rose and Maverick sat amongst Lexy, Lista and Savannah, who were all fully dressed and had their medallions around their necks. Savannah had an unhappy look on her face, not even touching her food.

"What is it, Savannah?" Maverick asked as he took his fork out of his mouth, his mouth filled with food.

"Still no sign of Angela..." Savannah said, and then sighed. "...And now we're missing Joel, Coen, Arkadi and Gilda..."

"I'm sure they'll turn up..." Cherri told her friend.

"One of them just did..." Rose said, her head turned to the side, watching as Gilda, in her human form, fully dressed and with her medallion around her neck, entered the room, an angry scowl on her face. "...And she looks angrier than normal..." She added silently as she slowly turned her head back to normal, Gilda walking up to the table.

"Have you seen Arkadi?" She asked, stopping in front of the table and putting her hands on her hips.

"We were just wondering about him ourselves..." Savannah replied, turning her head to the side to look at Gilda.

"When was the last time you saw him?" Cherri asked, turning her head to the side as well.

"He never came back last night." Gilda replied, lifting up her arms and crossing them. "The last time I saw him was when he told me to stay with Maverick..."

LINE BREAK

"Excellent..." Joel said as he walked around in a circle around the living Huntsclan mark, who just stood still. Stopping after reaching the mark's front, Joel smiled as he turned to the side, Coen walking up and stopping at his side. "...I'm happy, Coen. I have just one question, though: Does it have any skills?"

"Like fighting?" Coen managed, turning his head to the side.

"What else would I mean?"

"It does..." Coen confirmed, turning his head back to normal, staring at the creation as well.

"Enough skill to go up against Rose?" Joel crossed his scaly arms.

At first, Coen opened his mouth to respond, Joel smiling as he turned his head to the side, only to see Coen sigh as he closed his mouth, starting to walk over to the table. As Coen walked, the still smiling Joel returned his head back to normal and reverted to his human form in a bright light.

Meanwhile, Coen turned to the side as he reached the end of his table, reaching for a piece of paper. As he did this, Joel's smile faded as he reached into the pocket of his pants and pulled out the detonator.

At the table, Coen quickly wrote something down. As soon as he was done, Coen set down the pen and straightened up, turning to the side and starting to walk toward Joel, holding the piece of paper he had written on in both of his clawed hands. "Here..." He said as he reached Joel.

"Thanks..." Joel said as he took it, smiling. Reading it out loud, he said: "...The creation has the blood of a trained warrior. With any luck, and if my calculations are correct, the creation should have her skill, as they are joined by blood..." Lifting his head up, he smiled. "...Sweet..."

There was about twenty seconds of time when the two said nothing to each other. Finally, Joel smiled again. "Well, you've done your job." He said as Coen crossed his scaly arms. "I believe that it's time for me to pay you now..."

"You mean...?" Coen asked, lowering his arms, a hint of hope and happiness in his tone.

"Yes..." Joel said as he held out his hand with the detonator wrapped in his fingers. "...I no longer need you now..."

His once hopeful expression turning to fear, Coen slowly started to back up with his eyes wide. "Y...You need me..." He managed as he started toward the table.

"I do?" Joel asked sarcastically, his smile only widening.

"Th...The machine..." Coen managed as he reached the table, standing right beside the chained Angela, who turned her head to the side to look at him.

"You forget..." Joel said as he took a step toward Coen. "...That earlier this morning, you told me how to work the machine..." Hearing this, Coen's eyes only widened more.

"Please..." Joel's smile only widened as he heard Coen softly beg. "...Don't..."

"You have no one to blame except yourself, Coen..." Joel told him quickly, his smile slipping away. "...Maybe if you hadn't been such a two-faced jerk, none of this never would have happened..."

His eyes still wide, Coen blinked before he quickly started to walk toward Joel. However, after only taking three steps, Joel pressed the button on the detonator.

Stopping abruptly, Coen's eyes only widened even more; inside his mouth, the golden dragon tail shot down toward the back of his tongue. Roaring in pain, Coen opened his mouth amidst an unnatural popping noise.

Crossing his arms, Joel watched with a smug smile as Coen closed his mouth, tears of pain forming in his eyes as a hissing sound started to sound from his head, his head actually starting to quickly deflate. Trying to do something about it, Coen brought his clawed hands up to each side of his head, but nothing he could do could stop the deflating process.

Watching with wide, fearful eyes, Angela flinched as she heard a thud, Coen having fallen to the floor on his scaly belly, his body jerking and twitching repeatedly as the hissing sound stopped, his head completely deflated.

BLACKOUT; COMMERCIAL BREAK

BACK TO THE STORY/SHOW

Coen's still dragon body, but now with a deflated head, was curled up in a sitting position in the machine. The steel door slamming shut with the sound of a grunt coming from Joel, the now dragon Joel took a step back, only to turn around to face the living Huntsclan mark.

"Lower the machine back into the floor." Joel ordered it.

Joel then turned to the side and started to walk to the other side of the room, passing by Angela. "You're a monster..." She told him making Joel stop in his tracks and walk backwards until he stopped again and turned to the side, putting his claws on his hips. "...You are..." Angela told him. "...You...murdered him..."

"So?"

"And what do you plan to do now that you've created that monster?" Angela continued. "Hurt Rose?"

"Now that should be no concern of yours..." Joel said as he lifted his arms up and crossed them, turning his head to the side when he heard a clang, the machine now gone from sight, the living Huntsclan mark taking a step back from the hole. Turning his head back to normal, Joel continued with a smile: "...You're dead, Angela. It shouldn't-"

"It DOES matter..." Angela told him fiercely. "...And as long as my soul is still in this body, I will stop at nothing to keep Rose and the others safe."

Still smiling at his prisoner, Joel finally responded: "Do you want to know what I'm gonna do?" He asked. "I'll tell you, then. Rose will help me test out my creation's strength. If what Coen told me is true, my creation stands a chance against her."

"But what about the rest of the team?" Angela asked. "They'll stop you."

"I'll get Rose alone." Joel told her, lowering his scaly arms. "And if my creation manages to defeat her, then that is it. Rose will have served her purpose, just like Coen served his..."

"You're going to kill her?" Arkadi asked with shock, his head turned to the side.

"I won't." Joel shook his head once. "My creation will. Then, I'll use the rest of Rose's blood to create the rest of my army..."

LINE BREAK

Stepping out of the dining hall, Rose could see Savannah and Cherri, both in their dragon forms, standing in front of an also dragon Gilda.

"What's...going on?" Rose asked, making Savannah turn her head to the side, Gilda doing the same. However, unlike Savannah, Gilda scowled at her.

"Cherri, Gilda and I have decided to go looking for Arkadi..." Savannah told her.

"You can't come with." Gilda told her bitterly, making Rose's eyes widen.

"Don't listen to her..." Savannah told Rose softly, making Gilda turn her head back to normal so she could glare at Savannah briefly before she turned her head back to the side. "...If you want to come and help, you can..."

"Nah." Rose said, taking a step back. "It's okay. I won't bother you."

"Good." Came Gilda's response.

LINE BREAK

Now in Coen's empty room, Angela grunted, turning her head to the side as she tugged at the chains binding her wrists. "Arkadi..." Angela said, turning her head back to normal again as she grunted, tugging at her chains again. "...We have to get out of here. Joel's going to use that...thing...to kill Rose."

"I know..." Arkadi replied. "...Just give me a second..." As he said this, he used his fingers to reach the bottom of the leg of the table. Grunting, Arkadi slowly managed to lift up the leg of the table. Letting go of it, Arkadi managed to slide his wrists down and out before the leg hit the floor again, causing a thud that made Angela turn her head to the side.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

However, Arkadi did not answer. Instead, he looked around the room, looking for something to free themselves with. "Do you see anything?" He finally asked.

"Anything for what?" Angela asked, turning her head back to normal.

"To release ourselves..."

"No..."

Sighing, Arkadi lowered his head with despair. However, he quickly lifted his head back up, his eyes wide with an idea. In a bright light, Arkadi's tail appeared, and Arkadi moved it around his side and over to his feet, putting the tip of his tail into the lock of the chains around his feet.

Gritting his teeth and grunting, Arkadi turned his tail until he heard a clicking sound, the chains falling away from his ankles.

"Arkadi, you're wasting time." Angela said as she turned her head to the side. "What are you-?"

"Angela, use your tail..." Arkadi cut her off as he put the tip of his tail into the lock of the chains that were holding his wrists.

"My tail?" Angela asked, just as she heard a clicking sound, followed by the sound of chains hitting the ground.

"Your tail..." Arkadi repeated with a smile on his face as he pulled his hands around from behind his back and held them up to his face.

LINE BREAK

Gilda was still scowling as she had her scaly arms crossed, facing Savannah, while Cherri walked around Gilda's back, turned and then turned to the side, making both the scowling Gilda and the disappointed looking Savannah both turn their heads to the side to look at her.

"I can't find any sign that would make me think that he came here during breakfast." Cherri said, making Savannah sigh as she and Gilda turned their heads back to normal.

"I told you that it would be pointless to search here." Gilda told Savannah.

"You don't have to be such a jerk, Gilda..." Savannah said a few seconds later as she walked out through the door of the room. Stopping, she turned around as Gilda walked out, her scowl even bigger than before. Gilda stopped just a few inches in front of Savannah, allowing Cherri to walk up beside Gilda.

"I'm being a jerk?" Gilda asked rudely.

"Well, we are trying to help you." Savannah replied as she put her clawed hands on her hips. "But it's not really me and Cherri that I'm talking about..."

"Who then?" Gilda asked, putting her clawed hands on her hips as well.

Savannah opened her mouth to speak, but before she could form any words, she closed her mouth and her eyes widened as she heard the sound of panting. Quickly turning to the side, Savannah gasped as she saw both Arkadi and Angela, now in their dragon forms, running toward them. Savannah's gasp made Gilda spin around.

"ARKADI!" She shouted as Cherri walked up beside her again, Arkadi and Angela both stopped running in front of them, Arkadi panting.

"Where have you two been?" Savannah asked, her eyes falling on the holes in Angela's chest. "And are you okay?" She pointed at the wounds that should have been fatal.

"We were both chained up in Coen's room." Arkadi explained.

"What?" Asked Gilda, her eyes widening.

"Joel's insane!" Arkadi continued. "I walk in his room and find Angela chained up and then Joel attacks me."

"Okay..." Savannah put her claws up to her face, massaging her eyelids. Lowering them, she continued: "...Let me get this straight: Joel and Coen kidnapped you?"

"It was all Joel." Arkadi explained.

"And where are they now?" Savannah asked, crossing her scaly arms.

"Joel left after he killed Coen." Arkadi explained quickly.

"Wait..." Angela said, reaching to the side and resting her clawed hand on Arkadi's shoulder, making Arkadi close his mouth and turn his head to the side. "...You forgot to tell them the most important thing..."

LINE BREAK

A dragon Joel stood with his living Huntsclan mark on the edge of the roof of Rose's room. "You wait here..." Joel said, turning his head to the side to look at the creation. "...I'm going to go get Rose..."

LINE BREAK

Inside Rose's room, Rose had changed into her running shorts and was only wearing a bra, as she had not yet put on her shirt. Turning around to face her bed, she leaned down and picked up her shirt, just as the door to her room opened and the still dragon Joel stepped inside.

Gasping, Rose spun around, seeing Joel smiling at her. Blushing, Rose quickly tried to cover herself with her shirt.

"Oh..." Joel's smile was replaced with a look of surprise. "...Sorry..."

"Yeah, do you mind if you give me a minute to finish changing?" Rose asked, trying to sound polite.

"Of course..." Joel gave her a small smile as he started to back up. "...It's just...I wanted to show you something..."

"I'll be right out..." Rose told him politely.

Nodding once, Joel quickly turned around and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him with his tail.

LINE BREAK

"Okay..." Cherri said as she ran in-between Savannah and Angela. "...So you're saying that that bandage around Rose's arm was because of Joel?"

"Yes." Angela answered.

"Does Rose know that Joel did it to her?" Cherri asked.

"No." Angela answered. "Joel drugged her. She has no clue."

"And you're also saying that Joel used Rose's blood to create a new Huntsclan soldier?!" Savannah joined in. "One that he's going to kill Rose with?"

"Pretty much..." Angela answered. "...That's why we need to warn Rose. It might already be too late."

"But what about the wound on your chest?" Savannah asked.

"I'll tell you later!" Angela told her quickly. "Believe me. It's a long story."

LINE BREAK

Opening her door, Rose stepped out of her room, fully dressed. Looking at Joel, who smiled and waved at her, Rose closed her door and then took five steps away from her door. "What, Joel?" She asked, still trying to sound polite.

"I told you that I wanted to show you something..." Joel said as he started to walk toward Rose.

"Can you make it quick?" Rose asked, still trying to sound polite as she put her hands on her hips. "I'm going to go for a run..."

"Oh, you won't need to go for a run..." Joel smiled as he crossed his arms. "...Because I'm going to give you quite a workout..."

"Huh?" Rose asked, just as the living Huntsclan mark jumped down from the roof, landing right behind her, making Rose quickly spin around. "Wh...What is that?" Her eyes wide, Rose slowly started to back up.

"It's my creation." Joel stated proudly. "The first of its kind. A new type of Huntsclan. And its purpose right now..." Joel slowly started to lower his arms. "...Is to fight you..."

"What?" Rose asked, her eyes wide as she slowly turned around to face Joel.

"...You better fight, Rose..." Joel said, taking a step back. "...If you don't, it'll kill you..."

Before Rose could say anything in response, she grunted and fell forward as the living Huntsclan mark pulled its clawed hands back. Having landed on her knees, Rose turned her head to the side and looked up at the living Huntsclan mark as it lifted up one of its claws, preparing to bring it down on her.

"Come on, Rose!" Joel urged her, bringing up a clenched fist up to his chest. "Put up a fight!"

Looking up at the living Huntsclan mark, Rose watched as it quickly started to bring down its claw, only to abruptly freeze when...

"ROSE!" Came the sound of Angela's voice. Within the space of two seconds, Cherri, Savannah and Angela turned around the edge of the building and came to a stop.

"Angela?" Rose asked, while both the living Huntsclan mark and Joel turned to the side.

"So..." Joel frowned as he crossed his scaly arms. "...You and Arkadi got free?"

"They told us everything, Joel." Savannah said. "You know that we won't allow you to get away with this..."

"Give it up." Cherri added. "Come quietly. It's over."

"No..." Joel smiled, slowly starting to flap his wings. "...It's not. Not even close! CREATION!" He shouted as he started to lift off the ground. "Follow me!"

Cherri, Savannah and Angela all watched with wide eyes as Joel flew off, followed by the living Huntsclan mark. "Angela." Savannah said, turning her head to the side. "Help Rose. Cherri and I will take care of Joel..." As she finished telling Angela this, she turned her head back to normal.

LINE BREAK

Joel had a scowl on his face as he and his creation flew side-by-side, passing by a small group of stunned mermaids and mermen.

As the two passed, the mermaids and mermen returned back to normal, only to have Savannah and Cherri whiz passed them, making the mermaids and mermen turn their heads to the side.

"Sorry!" Savannah apologized loudly, turning her head to the side as Cherri kept her gaze straight ahead.

LINE BREAK

Meanwhile, Rose grunted as Angela helped her to her feet. Taking a step back as Rose pulled her hand away from Angela's clawed one, Rose stared her over.

"Where were you?" She asked.

"Arkadi and I got a little tied up..." Angela shrugged, only to look down as Rose put her hand to the stab wounds on her chest.

"How did you get these?" Rose asked softly.

LINE BREAK

Both Joel and his living Huntsclan mark landed on the grass, right in front of the watery elevator door. "C'mon...open..." Joel growled, crossing his scaly arms.

Just as he said this, there came a ding and the doors slid open, allowing them to see the merman who was running the elevator. "Get him out." Joel ordered, and in response, his creation slowly started to walk into the shaft.

"He...Hey!" The merman protested as the Huntsclan mark grabbed him, turning to the side and throwing him out, making the mermaid grunt as he landed on his back.

"Good work..." Joel said as he lowered his arms, starting to walk toward the shaft. Stepping inside, Joel turned around, seeing Cherri and Savannah flying toward them.

"JOEL!" He could hear Savannah's voice.

Despite this, Joel just frowned as the doors slid closed. Seconds later, Savannah and Cherri landed right in front of the closed doors.

LINE BREAK

The water in the bay started to bubble and seconds later, the watery submarine emerged from the water. The opening hatch opened, and although the escalator started to move up and out of the submarine, Joel ignored this as he flew out, followed by the living Huntsclan mark.

"This isn't over..." Joel muttered darkly as he and his creation continued to fly up into the air, leaving the submarine alone on the surface without any operator.

BLACKOUT; END EPISODE

**A/N: So, what did you think? Please review. **


	9. Chapter 9

Future Dragon: Rose Long (Season Four)

**Disclaimer: I don't own the film ****Hell's Angels****, which the title of this episode is mirrored after.**

Chapter/Episode 9: Hell's Dragons

The steel door to the machine that had created the living Huntsclan mark was pried open by a pair of Bondi Blue-colored arms. Stepping back and rejoining the dragon Cherri, both female dragons gasped as they saw that Coen's dead body had been stuffed inside.

"Right where we told you..." Came Angela's voice. As Cherri walked closer, Savannah turned her head to the side to look at Angela and Rose, who were both in their human forms. "...What are you going to do with him?"

Sighing, Savannah turned around to face her two friends. "Well, Angela..." She said as Cherri grunted, stepping back and pulling out Coen's body by his shoulders, everything lower than his shoulders and deflated head hitting the floor with a thud. "...If what you say is true..."

"...Then it really wasn't Coen's fault." Savannah continued as she put her clawed hands on her hips. "He was just trying to protect himself. So...I guess we'll hold some kind of service for him. I'll have to talk to Lono about it."

"I think that sounds nice..." Angela gave a small smile as Rose turned her head to the side to look at her.

"There's just one thing you haven't told us..." Savannah continued as she pulled her hands away from her hips, starting to walk over to Angela and Rose, Rose turning her head back to normal as Savannah reached them. "...How did you get these?" Savannah asked as she reached out and pointed at the stab wounds on her chest.

Angela stared at Savannah's claws as Savannah lowered them, Savannah putting her clawed hands on her hips again. "I..." Angela tried. "...I really don't know how to explain this to you, Savannah..."

"We're your friends, Angela." Savannah said. "You don't have to worry about no knowing what to say. You can tell us anything."

Hearing this, Angela blinked once before she finally opening her mouth. "O...Okay..." She said, giving a small nod. "...Joel stabbed me..."

"He stabbed you?" Rose's eyes were wide as she turned her head to the side.

"Wouldn't...Wouldn't that be fatal?" Savannah asked.

At this question, Angela glanced down at her feet as she sighed. "What is it?" Rose asked.

"I...have a confession to make..." Angela said. As Savannah stared at her friend with a confused look on her face, Angela slowly lifted up one of her arms, her hand and wrist just inches from Savannah's scaly belly.

"What?" Savannah asked.

"Check for a pulse." Angela said.

"Okay..." Still confused, Savannah lifted up her clawed hand and placed her claws down on Angela's wrist. At first, Savannah waited, but after a few seconds, a look of concern took hold of her face and she started to feel around Angela's wrist, until Angela pulled her hand away.

"Didn't feel anything, did you?" Angela asked.

"I'm sure there's a perfectly normal reason..." Savannah tried.

"Put your hand over my heart." Angela told her.

"Angela, what are you-" Savannah lifted her arms up in a shrug, only to have her eyes widen as Angela cut her off.

"Savannah, there's a reason I don't have a pulse!" Angela exclaimed, putting her clasped hands up to her neck, under her chin. "I'm dead..."

"What?!" Savannah asked in a joking manner, cracking a smile. "Angela, come on..." She continued as she put her hands on her hips. "...You've got to be kidding us..."

"Savannah, I'm not..."

"You can't be dead, Angela." Savannah told her. "You are standing right in front of me. If you were dead..." She turned to the side as she said this, allowing Rose and Angela to see Cherri grunting as she picked up Coen's body by putting her arms around Coen's armpits. "...You'd be like Coen: on the floor and not moving."

Sighing, Angela slowly started to walk over to Savannah, reaching her as Savannah turned back. "Put your hand over my heart." Angela repeated.

"Angela..."

"Do it." Angela repeated softly.

Sighing, Savannah quickly turned her head to the side as she lifted up one of her clawed hands. Turning her head back to normal, Savannah touched her hand against Angela's chest, right where the holes were.

Savannah held her hand in place for a few seconds, but after about twenty seconds, her eyes were filled with confusion. "I...I...I do...don't understand..."

"I told you, Savannah..." Angela said sadly. "...I'm dead. I didn't make it out of the Underworld."

LINE BREAK

All four of them in their human forms, Angela, Savannah, Rose and Cherri all sat on the same bench at the dining hall table. While Savannah stared into space with an unreadable look on her face, Rose leaned against the table and turned her head to the side.

"So, if you are really dead..." Rose asked, making Angela and Cherri both turn their heads to the side to look at Rose. "...Then how can you be here? Savannah and I both saw you fall into the river."

"I did drown there." Angela explained, turning her head back to normal as she placed her hands on the surface on the table and clasped them together. "And the only reason I'm back is because that woman put my soul back into my body?"

"Mrs. Jenkins?" Rose asked. "But...why?"

Sighing, Angela slowly turned her head to the side to look at Rose. "Because she wants your soul..."

"Still?" Rose asked, her eyes wide as she slowly turned her head back to normal.

"Does this mean she wants mine, too?" Savannah finally spoke up, speaking in a monotone as she slowly turned her head to the side.

"It's just Rose's that I know of..."

"Then why doesn't she just send those...things...here to retrieve me?" Rose asked, placing her elbows on the tabletop, using her hands to hold the side of her head. "Why you?"

"She's...given up on trying to just steal it." Angela said.

"Then Rose and Savannah should be fine, right?" Cherri asked.

"Not quite." Angela said. "She still wants it, and I guess I'm going to be staying here in this rotting body until she gets what she wants."

"If she's not going to send her minions up here to get me, then she's not getting what she wants..." Rose said as she narrowed her eyes.

Angela was silent for a moment. After about fifteen seconds, she opened her mouth and spoke, just as Rose turned her head back to normal again: "She has an ace in the hole, Rose. She knows what your purpose here is and she knows the one who you are searching for. She also..." She slowed down as Rose slowly turned her head back to the side. "...Knows of your nature. In short, she knows...everything. And she will use it to her advantage..."

BLACKOUT; COMMERCIAL

BACK TO THE STORY/SHOW

Rose had changed into her normal clothes and was now lying on her back on her bed, toying with her medallion, which she held in both of her hands. However, when she heard three knocks against her door, she turned her head to the side to look at the door.

"Come in." She called out.

Seconds later, the door opened and Savannah stepped inside, followed by Angela, both women in their human forms. "What?" Rose asked right before the two stopped at the side of her bed.

"Rose, I know you're going to hate me for suggesting this..." Savannah said as she raised her hands up. "...But just hear me out. Angela says that that devil woman knows who killed your parents."

"Of course she does." Rose told her. "She's the ruler of the Underworld. If you remember, she's the one who told me that you were right about my parents being murdered."

"I remember..." Savannah answered as she slowly started to lower her hands. "...So, I was thinking that you maybe...go down there and get the information..."

"Are you insane?!" Rose practically exploded, quickly sitting up on her bed, keeping her head turned to the side so she could look at her two friends.

"I warned you that you'd probably hate me..." Savannah said as she put her hands on her hips.

"She wants my soul, Savannah." Rose said, turning to the side on her bed, her feet touching the floor as she stared at Angela and Savannah.

"But remember that I said that she wants you to earn your place there." Angela pointed out, lifting up a finger.

"Oh, so she'd just tell me the information and I'd be on my merry way?" Rose asked sarcastically as she put her hands on her hips. "Okay, then. Let's just say that I bought that. How would I be able to get down there without being abducted or whatever, seeing as I'm, you know, ALIVE?"

"It'll take some time..." Angela said. "...But I'll find a way to contact her."

"And how do you do that?" Rose asked.

"Remember Zhi Ya and Yao Niang Zha?" Angela asked.

"Yeah." Rose replied.

"They had a potion that allowed them to talk to Mrs. Jenkins." Angela explained. "And that Huldra that you saw me with at the mall also had one of those potions."

"Do you know how to make one?" Savannah asked as she turned her head to the side.

"No." Angela admitted. However, after saying this, she slowly turned her head to the side as well. "But just give me some time. I'll come up with something..."

LINE BREAK

Angela sat alone at the table in the dining hall, her head lowered. Watching her as she slowly stepped into the room, Rose's eyes filled with pity.

"Hey, Angela." She spoke up, making Angela look up and turn her head to the side. "Everything alright?" Rose asked as she put her hands into the pocket of her jeans, starting to walk over to the side of the table.

As Rose reached the side of the table, Angela finally opened her mouth and spoke: "I've just been trying to think about what to do now." She said. "Savannah wants you to do this, but do you want to?"

"I guess I really don't have much of a choice in this..." Rose shrugged.

"Are you going to?"

"Like I said..." Rose told her. "...I don't think I have a choice..."

"Then do you mind keeping me company while I try to think up a plan?" Angela asked.

Rose seemed surprised at first, evident by her eyes widening slightly. "Really?" She asked as she slowly pulled her hands out of her pockets.

"Well, if you don't want to..." Angela replied, only to be cut off by Rose, who held up both of her hands.

"It's not like that, Angela." Rose told her. "It's just..." She slowly lowered her hands as she continued. "...There's someone in this room with a dilemma bigger than mine."

"Rose..."

"I want to help you, Angela." Rose said, quickly walking over to Angela and putting her hands on the dead woman's shoulders. "It's not fair."

"Life isn't fair, Rose."

"You were a good person, Angela." Rose told her as she started to kneel down. "Just because you died in the Underworld shouldn't mean that your soul should be damned for all eternity..."

"Well, I am damned, Rose." Angela said in a somewhat depressed tone as she reached up with both hands and took Rose's hands off of her shoulders. "Nothing can change that. I guess that I've accepted it..."

"There's nothing I can do?" Rose asked. "Well...what if...what if when we go-"

"Rose, it's okay." Angela cut her off, speaking in a soft voice. "It's the way things are meant to be."

For a moment, the two women were silent. Finally, Rose sighed as she slowly started to stand back up, just as Angela's face lit up. Noticing this, Rose looked down at her. "What is it?" She asked.

"I know how we're going to get down to the Underworld!" Angela said with a smile on her face as she looked up at Rose. "And trust me, if things go south, you'll be able to get out safely."

"What?" Rose asked. "How?"

However, before she could get an answer, Angela stood up, making Rose take a step back and step to the side. "Come on!" Angela said as she reached out and grabbed Rose's hand, starting to walk toward the exit and forcing Rose to follow her.

LINE BREAK

"Are you okay, Savannah?" Cherri asked as she watched Savannah lying on her side on her bed, a sad look on her face.

"Huh?" Savannah asked, lifting her head up slightly.

"Are you okay?" Cherri repeated, walking closer toward her friend, not stopping until she reached the side of the bed. "I don't think I've ever seen you this bummed..." Cherri pointed out as she crossed her arms.

"Trust me, Cherri." Savannah said as she lowered her head back down. "I've felt worse before. That was just before you met me."

"Is it about Angela?" Cherri guessed, slowly lowering her arms down to her sides.

"Oh, Cherri..." Savannah sighed. "...Of course it is. I thought that Angela was dead and then Rose and Joel bring her back here. I was so relieved. And now I find out that she really is dead."

Cherri opened her mouth to speak, but before she could form any words, she looked up and turned her head to the side as the door opened, Angela stepping in, followed by Rose. "Please close the door, Rose." Angela said as she started to walk over to the bed.

Sighing, Savannah slowly sat up, pushing herself up right before Angela reached Cherri's side. However, before speaking, Angela waited until Rose stopped right at her side.

"What?" Savannah asked.

"I know how to get down to the Underworld." Angela told Savannah.

BLACKOUT; COMMERCIAL

BACK TO THE STORY/SHOW

The only light in the night was coming from the moon. Rose yawned as she flew next to Savannah, both of them following Angela. As Rose stopped yawning and smacked her lips, Savannah turned her head to the side to look at her.

"You alright?" She asked.

"Just tired." Rose responded.

"How tired?" Savannah pressed. "This is an important task, Rose. I know that Angela said that that devil woman wants you to earn your place in the Underworld, but if she sees that your guard is down, she just might-"

"Don't worry about me, Savannah." Rose cut her off. "I'll be able to handle it."

"Guys!" Came the sound of Angela's voice, making Savannah look straight ahead, seeing Angela turn her head to the side. "We're here!"

LINE BREAK

Pushing open the door to Katy's building, the now human Angela stepped into her main room, followed by Rose and then Savannah, who used her foot to close the door.

"Here it is..." Angela said, stretching her arms out to the side as she walked over to the cauldron. Stopping in front of it, Angela quickly lowered her arms and turned around. "...This cauldron is what's going to take us to the Underworld."

"Are you sure about that?" Savannah asked as she reached Rose's side. "How is that going to take you to the Underworld?"

"Trust me." Angela said, putting her hands on her hips. "That's how the Huldra and I got out."

There was a moment where neither Savannah nor Rose said anything; they just stared at Angela for a few seconds before Rose shrugged. "Works for me..."

LINE BREAK

Mrs. Jenkins stood with her arms behind her back as she stood right by the edge leading down to the River Styx. Hearing footsteps coming from behind her, Mrs. Jenkins spun around, only to see Katy stopping several inches in front of her.

The two said absolutely nothing to one another for several seconds. Just as Katy started to open her mouth, her eyes widened as she heard the sound of a thud from right behind her. Slowly turning around, Katy gasped as she saw Angela standing straight back up after landing in a crouched position. Seconds later, Rose grunted as she landed in the same position, quickly standing back up.

Before Katy could say anything, the Huldra grunted as Mrs. Jenkins shoved her to the side, a big smile on her face as she made her way to the two new arrivals.

"Well, I must say that I was beginning to worry." Mrs. Jenkins said as she continued to walk toward the two. "I hadn't heard anything from you." She said to Angela as she stopped in front of Rose and Angela, putting her hands behind her back.

"I don't see how I would have been able to." Angela told her.

"Uh-huh..." Mrs. Jenkins said, no interest in her tone as she switched her gaze to Rose, who just frowned at her. "...Don't look at me that way, Rose." Mrs. Jenkins feigned hurt. "Don't you understand that I'm going to help you find the one who murdered your parents?"

"Only because you want my soul when I die." Rose said darkly. "Angela told me herself."

"Well..." Mrs. Jenkins smiled devilishly. "...Can you really blame me? You see..." She continued as she turned around, moving her arms to her sides, starting to walk away from the two women. "...I guess you could say that I'm a shark. I'd even go so far as to call myself that. I prey after souls..."

After reaching a point that was a few feet away from Angela and Rose, she turned back around. "...It's not your fault that your soul was offered to me Rose, but I'm not going to give up. And looking at your record..."

At this point, Mrs. Jenkins held up her arm, and as she did this, Rose could see the air actually rifting as a small screen started to form in thin air. As the screen finished forming, Rose gasped as she saw The Huntsman soaring up into the air, his Huntsclan birthmark glowing.

"...With as many bodies as you've stacked up..." Mrs. Jenkins continued as the scene switched to Chang with Rose's Huntsclan staff between her left ear. Chang twitched once or twice before falling to the floor. "...It's amazing that your soul is still safe from my grasp. Of course..."

As Mrs. Jenkins continued, she lowered her hand, the screen pausing. "...That's all because your acts were either out of the defense of others or yourself."

"I hate to break it to you..." Rose said, putting her hands on her hips as Angela turned her head to the side to look at her. "...But nothing's going to change that. If I have the choice, any criminal will be taken alive."

"Perhaps..." Mrs. Jenkins smiled as she started to lift her arm up again. "...But perhaps that mindset of yours will vanish once you see this..."

At this, the screen started to play again, and it switched to a dragon standing on a rooftop, focusing as it aimed with a bow and arrow, which the dragon was holding. The dragon was wearing a brown cloak that acted as a cape, but it also had a hood so that Rose could not see the dragon's face. Despite the hood, Rose could see the color of the dragon's arms and legs: Wheat-colored. As soon as the dragon had the arrow aimed at its target, the dragon fired.

The second the arrow whizzed out of view, Mrs. Jenkins lowered her arm and the screen faded completely. "That was the dragon that murdered both of your parents." She said.

Rose was staring at the space where the screen had been with wide eyes and her mouth slightly gaping, Angela watching with her. However, Angela recovered quickly and turned her head to the side to look at her. "Rose." She said, making Rose blink and swallow as she returned to her senses.

"Well..." Rose said, taking a step back. "...I hate to tell you this, Mrs. Jenkins...but that doesn't change anything. I'm not going to kill him. Thanks for your help, though..."

Upon finishing saying this, Rose slowly turned around and started to walk away from Angela, heading back to where she had entered.

Frowning, Mrs. Jenkins exhaled sharply as Katy slowly reached her side. As soon as Katy stopped at Mrs. Jenkins' side, Mrs. Jenkins raised her arm and snapped her fingers.

Rose stopped in her tracks and looked up at the dark ceiling as a bright light engulfed her, transforming her into her dragon form. However, as she transformed, twelve of Mrs. Jenkins' hunched over minions dropped down from the ceiling. As the light faded, the now dragon Rose looked down, her eyes widening as she watched them all advance toward her.

"Uh-oh..."

Meanwhile, Mrs. Jenkins turned her head to the side to look at Katy. "I'll deal with Rose. You handle the other one..." She ordered as Katy turned her head to the side as well.

Then, Mrs. Jenkins turned her head over to Rose, while Rose hovered in the air, grunting as she lashed her tail out at two of the hunched over minions that were lunging toward her, swatting them away.

"Rose, Rose, Rose..." Rose quickly turned her head to the side as she heard the sound of Mrs. Jenkins' voice; she was able to see the ruler of the Underworld stopping a few inches in front of her, putting her hands on her hips. "...I'm going to get your soul either way."

"I don't think so!" Rose told her darkly as she turned her head back to normal and opened her mouth, blowing out a torrent of fire, which hit all of the remaining ten minions, blasting them back. Then, Rose quickly spun around to face Mrs. Jenkins. "If it's a fight you want..." Rose told her darkly as she held up her clawed hands, preparing to fight. "...Then it's a fight I'll give to you..."

Meanwhile, the still human Angela turned her head to the side to the side to watch Rose as Katy guided her to the edge by her arm. "Don't worry about it." Katy told her as Angela continued to try to look. "It shouldn't matter to you anymore. You're going back into the River."

Giving up on trying to watch Rose fight, Angela turned her head back to normal just seconds after Katy said this. Seconds later, Katy stopped and grinned as she shoved Angela, who stumbled briefly before coming to a stop right at the edge. Upon stopping, Angela slowly turned around to face the Huldra, who crossed her arms.

"Well..." The Huldra said. "...Go on in. You're not needed anymore..."

"It's not that easy..." Angela told her.

"Wh...?" Katy seemed surprised, as her eyes were wide as she dropped her arms to her sides. "...How can it not be simple?! You're dead! That river is where you belong!"

Growling, Katy turned around, only to gasp and take a step back as she saw that one of the hunched over minions was standing in front of her, holding out Mrs. Jenkins' fire-bladed dagger. As this happened, Angela took the time to look out and watch as Rose grunted, six hunched over minions jumping up and hitting her from behind, making Rose grunt as she fell to the ground in front of Mrs. Jenkins.

"Rose..." Angela whispered, only to see the now smiling Katy turn back around.

"Okay, now you're going back in there..." The Huldra said.

Swallowing hard, Angela glanced to the side to see Rose trying to lift up her head as the hunched over minions continued to hold her down. Narrowing her eyes, Angela opened her mouth: "Not just yet." She told the Huldra, who widened her eyes as she watched a bright light appear from behind Angela, Angela's tail forming.

"What...?" However, before Katy could finish, she grunted as Angela's tail clocked her right in the face, making her fall back, dropping the dagger to the ground.

Sure that her enemy was down, Angela started to move away toward the ledge and closer to Rose. However, as soon as she passed Katy, Angela froze as she heard a shout, the Huldra jumping up against Angela's back, wrapping both of arms around Angela's neck. "You're..." Katy struggled to speak as she held on. "...Not...going anywhere..." Then, grinning, Katy started to press her arms harder against Angela's neck, trying to strangle her.

Gritting her teeth, Angela took a step back, taking the grunting Huldra closer to the ledge that would drop her into the River Styx. "Let go!" Angela managed despite the hold that the Huldra had on her.

"Unlikely!" Katy responded with grunt as Angela took another step closer to the ledge.

Far below, in the river, hundreds of souls all jumped from the water, forming a long line of souls as they traveled up to the ledge.

Up on the ledge, Angela grunted as she took the last step. "Let go!" Angela said again, this time in a shout.

With her teeth gritted, Katy prepared to say something, but before she could, the "ladder" of lost souls arrived from behind, several of them reaching out with moans, grabbing her. "Whoa!" Katy's eyes widened as she felt herself being pulled away. "Hey!" She shouted, however, this did nothing to prevent herself from being pulled away to the point where her arms slid off of Angela's neck, making Angela sigh with relief.

Turning around, Angela watched as Katy tried to struggle against the souls as they dragged her over the ledge, grunting and kicking as they started to pull her down.

"No!" Katy shouted as she kicked and started to descend down to the River Styx. "Let go of me! It's not my time!" As she continued to get pulled down, Katy grunted as she managed to look up. "MASTER!" She shouted at the top of her lungs. However, this only made her grunt and gag as two of the souls used their hands and arms to reach into her open mouth and down her throat, making the Huldra's eyes widen and causing her to kick harder, even as they continued to drag her down.

From up on the ledge, Angela stepped closer and looked down as the souls pulled their arms out of Katy's mouth, pulling out the Huldra's soul itself. In an instant, Katy's wide eyed pupils rolled into the back of her head and the souls released her body, making it fall forward and then head-first down to the waters of the River Styx, where it sank under the waters amidst a big splash. From up above, Katy's soul looked terrified and continued to kick as the other souls continued to drag her down to the waters of the River.

"Hope you enjoy your afterlife." Angela said darkly before she looked back up; in a bright light, she transformed into her dragon form.

Meanwhile, a good fifteen hunched over minions had managed to subdue Rose, two even holding her arms behind her back. Watching this with a smile on her face and her arms crossed, Mrs. Jenkins spoke: "I'll give you one last chance, Rose Long. I'm going to get your soul either now or when you kill the killer of your parents. Which will it be?"

Listening to this, Rose defiantly said nothing. Instead, she just glared at the ruler of the Underworld.

"Fine." Mrs. Jenkins shrugged her shoulders as she lowered her arms to her side. Then, she addressed her minions, who kept Rose restrained. "Dump her into the River Styx. She'll drown just like her frien-"

However, before Mrs. Jenkins could finish, she grunted as Angela's tail wrapped around her throat. Yelping, Mrs. Jenkins was lifted off of her feet and thrown back as Angela landed on the ground. With a grunt, Mrs. Jenkins hit the ground head first and she continued to grunt as she rolled back toward the ledge, not coming to a halt until she landed on her back right beside the fire-bladed dagger that Katy had dropped.

Meanwhile, Angela grunted as she swung her tail at the minions, swiping all of them off of Rose. Quickly, Rose grunted as she used her clawed hands to pick herself up into a standing position. "Thanks..." Rose smiled.

"Go!" Angela told her. "Get out of here!"

"What about you?"

"I'm dead, remember?" Angela said in a softer tone. "I have to stay here. I told you before you left. It's the way it needs to be."

"But..." Rose started only to stop and turn her head in both directions when she realized that all of the hunched over minions were starting to get up.

"GO!" Angela shouted at her.

Nodding once, Rose had a sad look on her face as she spread her wings. Flapping them, Rose flew up into the air, disappearing into the darkness.

Watching her friend depart, Angela looked down and sighed before she allowed herself to revert to her human form in a bright light. As soon as the light faded, Angela slowly turned around, only to grunt in pain as she soon as she had fully turned around, Mrs. Jenkins stabbing her in the stomach with the fire-bladed dagger.

Her eyes wide, Angela could do nothing as Mrs. Jenkins used her free hand to shove Angela back, making her fall to the ground with the dagger still in her stomach. Getting down on her knees, Mrs. Jenkins grunted as she moved the dagger up, slicing open Angela's body.

Seconds later, Mrs. Jenkins got back up to her feet and then turned around, holding Angela's soul by the neck. While Angela's soul stared calmly at the ruler of the Underworld, Mrs. Jenkins snarled: "Time to go back into the River!"

LINE BREAK

Back in Katy's apartment, Savannah, still in her human form, sat against the closed door to the room with her arms wrapped around her knees and her chin resting on her knees.

As Savannah watched the cauldron, she could see Rose's yellow dragon form quickly flying out of it. However, Rose was flying so quickly that before she could stop, Rose's head collided with the roof.

After an electrical sound, Rose grunted as she dropped to the floor in her human form on her knees.

"Rose." Savannah said as she quickly got up, rushing over to Rose and offering her her hand, which Rose took. Taking a step back, Savannah managed to pull Rose to her feet, their hands departing.

"Well?" Savannah asked.

However, instead of answering the question, Rose turned her head to the side, staring at the cauldron. "I want to get out of here." Rose told her as she turned her head back to normal. "I'll tell you on the way back."

LINE BREAK

Back in the Underworld, Mrs. Jenkins had resumed her place right at the edge, her arms behind her back as she stared down into the river Styx.

As she watched all of the souls briefly surfacing from the water before going back under, Mrs. Jenkins heard Rose's words in her head: _"I'm not going to kill him."_

"Don't be so sure, Rose Long." Mrs. Jenkins said darkly. "There is still much that you do not know."

BLACKOUT; END

**A/N: What did you think? Please review. **


End file.
